Saint
Nicholas
People throughout the world know of the kindness and generosity of Saint Nicholas through the many legends that are told about him as Santa Claus, Father Christmas and Kris Kringle. His extraordinary character and overwhelming compassion, especially for those most vulnerable in society, led him to become the patron saint of children and those in need. These are the qualities that we honor at the St. Nicholas for Children.
We want our community to 
What to Expect
As an already established community partner with the Diocese of Lake Charles and members of the Southwest Louisiana community, St. Nicholas Center for Children has an interest in preserving the integrity of the Bank Street property and serving as a continued good neighbor for nearby homeowners and the community at large.
We function much like a school with hours of operation from 8 a.m. – 5p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed all major holidays. We have limited traffic with designated times for drop-off and pick-up—similar to what near neighbors of the Bank Street property are accustomed.
Our Interest
St. Nicholas Center for Children plans to purchase 1620 Bank Street (currently Saint Louis Catholic High School) to serve as the site for our new facility using a multi-phased approach. The three-phased approach would accommodate Saint Louis Catholic High School’s current and temporary needs, while also delivering on St. Nicholas Center for Children’s permanent need for a new location.
Phased Approach
- Phase 1: Includes the former St. Louis Catholic High School main structure plus the Vianney House, an area spanning from 7th Street to 9th Street.
- Phase 2: Includes where St. Louis Catholic High School is currently conducting operations.
- Phase 3: Includes Landry Gym and gym parking area.
Timeline
FAQs
What happens with the Landry Gym?
We are exploring the opportunity to restore Landry Gym with specialists and considering the costs associated with their recommendation and our mission. Therefore, we have requested Right of First Refusal to purchase the area marked as Phase 3. We requested 12 months to research our ability to restore and fund the project. The desire to restore Landry Gym is rooted in family, traditions and legacy for St. Nicholas Center for Children’s founder & executive director, Christy Papania-Jones.
- Founder & Executive Director Christy Papania-Jones St. Louis Catholic High School class of 1992
- Grandmother Rosalie Papania’s 90th Birthday Celebration with family featuring St. Charles, St. Landry and St. Louis alumni spanning generations
- Grandparents Lucas and Rosalie Papania’s wedding reception at Landry Memorial in 1946
- Her father, Luke Papania class of 1971—the first class of St. Louis Catholic High School
- Her son, Bain Jones class of 2022 and school mascot. Bain was diagnosed with Autism at age three and through a partnership with St. Nicholas Center for Children he was able to receive a Catholic education.
When will St. Nicholas Center for Children begin construction in Phase 1?
Once St. Nicholas Center and FEMA come to an agreement on obligated funds for our original Ryan Street location, we will begin to work with an architect on design with the goal of building as soon as possible. This could mean construction starting in Phase 1 while St. Louis Catholic High School students are still occupying a portion of the Bank Street property. Proper safety protocols would be established, implemented and followed for the safety and wellbeing of all parties.
When will St. Nicholas Center for Children assume ownership of the area designated Phase 2?
The purchase of Phase 2 will be completed once St. Louis Catholic High School, et. all has vacated operations at the Bank Street property.
Will athletics and other school activities be able to occur at the Bank Street property while St. Louis Catholic High School continues to expand operations on Corbina Road?
It is a goal of St. Nicholas Center for Children to establish a Facilities Use Agreement Policy to allow the Diocese of Lake Charles schools and other community partners access to the fields and concession stands. We also want to extend an invitation for St. Louis Catholic High School to continue to host their Homecoming Parade from the property.
Who pays for the demolition of the structures on the Bank Street property that have been declared a total loss or non-repairable by FEMA?
As per FEMA grant regulations, the entity who owns the property at the time of the declared disaster is eligible to demolish all buildings that FEMA has determined to be “total loss/not eligible for repair” and are obligated for replacement. In contrast, the new owner would not be eligible to be reimbursed for demolition. Having the owner at the time of disaster complete the demolition will help the new buyer, as well as clean up the property for the neighbors with reimbursable funds specifically earmarked for the use of demolition that cannot be used anywhere else. St. Nicholas Center for Children would not be eligible to receive this funding for the demolition of structures, nor would any other buyer, per FEMA guidelines.
Is St. Nicholas Center for Children going to run a capital campaign?
St. Nicholas Center for Children does not plan to run a capital campaign for Phase 1, where we are purchasing the land and rebuilding the therapy space that we had at 2519 Ryan Street. Phase 2 is an expansion plan to further meet the needs of our clients. Once the research is completed, we may reach out to the community for support in the form of in-kind donations and gifts to rehab Landry Gym in Phase 3.
Is St. Nicholas Center for Children waiting on FEMA funding to be able to start building the new structure?
St. Nicholas Center for Children is not waiting on FEMA funding. FEMA is a reimbursement process that requires us to be financially positioned to move forward with rebuilding upon final agreement of damage values. Upon completion of current negotiations of values, St. Nicholas Center for Children will embark on design development, then initiate construction, as our funding is currently in place.
