Roland Park Place To Expand With A New Campus at Historic Villa Assumpta
Acquisition will mark RPP’s first offsite community, continuing a legacy of care on Baltimore’s North Charles Street corridor
Roland Park Place (RPP), Baltimore City’s first and only accredited Continuing Care Retirement Community, plans to expand its mission of exceptional senior living with the addition of a second campus on North Charles Street, located on the historic grounds of Villa Assumpta near Towson. For decades, Villa Assumpta was home to the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND), an international congregation of religious women dedicated to education, faith, and service. RPP has entered into an agreement to transform the site into a vibrant new community for older adults, honoring that same legacy, caring for people, building connections, and creating space to age with dignity.
“As more older adults seek to remain connected in this area, this new campus will allow us to welcome them with the same commitment to community that has defined RPP for more than 40 years,” said Sam Guedouar, president and CEO, RPP. “As the region’s population ages, demand for full-service senior living options continues to rise.”
“We are very grateful the Holy Spirit has brought Roland Park Place to work beside us,” said Sister Nancy Gilchriest, SNND Provincial Leader of the Atlantic-Midwest Province. “Roland Park Place’s thoughtful vision ensures that the legacy of the School Sisters of Notre Dame lives on in new ways at our Charles Street property. Both RPP and SSND look forward to further engaging with the community and the County to make this transition possible.”
The Villa Assumpta site would allow RPP to grow without expanding its original campus footprint, thoughtfully repurposing an existing space in a way that aligns with both community values and long-term care trends. The Villa Assumpta campus is located on a nine-acre property at the corner of Charles Street and Bellona Avenue.
The new community is envisioned to feature independent living apartments, with additional services and amenities to be determined during the planning process. Construction and renovations are expected to begin in Fall 2028, and residents are expected to move into the community in Fall 2030.
“Roland Park Place has always been more than a place to live — it’s a true community built on connection, engagement, and a strong sense of belonging,” said Neb Sertsu, immediate past chair of the RPP Board of Directors. “By expanding, we have the opportunity to bring that same spirit to a new setting while honoring the legacy of Villa Assumpta as a place long dedicated to service, education, and community. This proposed community ensures that the values that have defined RPP for more than 40 years will continue to flourish in a new chapter.”
In 1937, SSND purchased the property to house their novitiate program, where young women trained to become sisters. Most recently, the property served as a retirement home for the sisters of SSND Atlantic-Midwest Province, who founded Notre Dame Preparatory School, the Institute of Notre Dame, and the University of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore.
Henry Deford, Tim Harrington and Corey Caputo of MacKenzie Retail, LLC are representing RPP in the acquisition of the Villa Assumpta property.
ABOUT ROLAND PARK PLACE
Roland Park Place (RPP) is the only full-service, accredited nonprofit continuing care retirement community in Baltimore City and a leader in aging services for older adults and their families. RPP offers premier access to city life coupled with the comfort and convenience of suburban living – all in a beautiful, landscaped, park-like setting with breathtaking city skyline views. For additional information about Roland Park Place, visit www.rolandparkplace.org.
ABOUT THE ATLANTIC-MIDWEST PROVINCE
The congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) is an international community of religious women. The sisters educate with a world vision, believing that the world can be changed through the transformation of persons. The School Sisters of Notre Dame has 1,700 members who minister in 27 countries.
amssnd.org
