A plan to build 176 apartments inside a former Brentwood Catholic school is moving forward after the Town of Islip approved a needed zoning change last month.

Concern Housing, a nonprofit developer based in Medford, will convert the former Academy of St. Joseph into affordable apartments while preserving the Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings' historical details. The latest design adds 36 units from the partners' initial announcement last year. 

The 500,000-square-foot project will be built on a 15½-acre portion on the 212-acre campus of the Sisters of St. Joseph, a consecrated group of religious women in the Catholic faith. Concern agreed to purchase the three academy buildings for $6.8 million, pending approval from the state Attorney General's office.

The academy previously served students from kindergarten through 12th grade before it closed in 2009. More recently, the buildings had been used for pre-K, before-school and after-school services for more than 500 students as well as an adult English-as-a-second language program, which have relocated on the campus.

About four years ago, the Sisters of St. Joseph began looking for a way to repurpose the former school, built in 1903 and expanded in 1913. The Sisters recognized housing as a pressing need for Long Islanders, including the religious group's own employees, who had voiced concerns about finding affordable options, said Sister Tesa Fitzgerald, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

"When you hear needs like that, it's our responsibility to respond if we can," she said. "We felt very strongly that we have the ability to do something concrete to make that happen, and that's exactly why we did what we did."

The $120 million development, to be known as Joseph's Village, will include 139 studios, 33 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units. About half the units will be designated as supportive housing for veterans with behavioral health conditions as well as seniors and other adults with disabilities.

The units will be priced to make them affordable for individuals earning no more than 60% of the area median income for Long Island. That's currently equivalent to $69,300 for an individual or $79,200 for a couple, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Rents will be $1,275 to $1,575 for a studio, $1,365 to $1,665 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,620 to $1,995 for a two-bedroom unit, according to Concern Housing's preliminary estimates.

The conversion of the buildings, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will preserve the brick facade with terracotta trim, marble walls in the main entry and stained glass windows among other historical features, said Rob Beyer, a real estate investor and volunteer for Concern Housing who specializes in historic preservation. 

Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said she appreciates that the project will offer needed supportive and affordable housing.

"This is another shining example of adaptive reuse in the Town of Islip," she said in a statement.

Ralph Fasano, Concern Housing's executive director, said he expects to have no problem finding renters. Concern's Estella development in Hempstead recently received nearly 1,700 applications for 53 apartments.

The nonprofit plans to start construction next year and to open in 2028, Fasano said. The affordable units will be awarded through a lottery that will be held closer to the opening date.

"We truly appreciate that we're able to provide something that is so needed, and the demand is so great," he said.