Lapsley Lane

Lapsley Lane is a collection of historical houses on Saint Joseph's University Campus originally purchased by the University to expand their footprint in the area to provide more space for student housing and classrooms. Located on the Lower Merion side of campus, these houses are used for both academic and administrative services, as well as an art gallery located in the building now known as Boland Hall. Purchased by the college in the late 1950s to early 1960s from a variety of owners, many of these houses have their own histories connecting to the larger Barnes Foundation site.

Lapsley Lane was originally a sparsely occupied section of land on the edge of Lower Merion Township. The six-acre plot of land was owned by Joseph Lapsley Wilson. While many of the details about what the land was originally used for are sparse, it seemed that the plot was mostly left unoccupied and unused. In May of 1922 (only several months before Saint Joseph’s University would formally move its campus to City Avenue), Albert Barnes would purchase the land from Mr. Wilson. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Barnes entered an agreement with John H. McClatchy who developed the site with several houses that were marketed as the “Arboretum Houses.” Over the course of the next 20 years, the development project would construct the seven houses, with Bronstein (20 Lapsley Lane) being finished later in 1922 and Saint Thomas (14 Lapsley Lane) being the last house built in 1941.

20 Lapsley Lane was not only the first house built on Lapsley Lane, but also had a tight connection to Saint Joseph's even before it was officially owned by the school. The original owner of the home was Joseph L. Durkin. He loved Saint Joseph’s (at the time known as Saint Joseph’s College) and was integral in the fundraising campaign for the construction of Barbelin Hall. He held a number of informal meetings at his home, helping to build connections and spread awareness of the fundraising campaign. The home would later be owned by the Babbitts, the family behind the Babbitt Searls Company in New York.

Six additional homes, now called St. Alberts, Boland, Hogan, Jordan, Xavier, and Regis Halls were built in quick succession after Bronstien. Almost all of these buildings were commissioned by wealthy, local families as homes. Over the years, the ownership of the houses would switch hands while Saint Joseph's slowly expanded from its new home on City Avenue.

Leading into the 50s and 60s, Saint Joseph's University was quickly running out of space to house all undergraduate students. Between the ‘54. ‘58 and ‘62 classes, the university was projected to have its undergraduate population grow from 1200 students to over 2000. At the time, Lapsley Lane was an area the university board believed would provide the most optimal amount of land and housing to help handle the influx of students. Around 1952, Saint Joseph’s already began discussing plans and going through negotiations to purchase the Arboretum houses.

Currently, these buildings are being used in a variety of ways. Bronstein Hall is used as the home of the Communications Studies department. Saint Thomas Hall is the home of the Provost, who oversees all aspects of academic life. Saint Albert’s Hall is where the Women’s Center is located, which focuses on promoting women’s health and safety, leadership opportunities, and gender inclusion and equity on campus. Boland Hall houses the Departments of Art and Art History, and is also the site of the Fine Arts Gallery. Regis Hall contains the office of the President, Dr. Mark Reed. Hogan Hall and Xavier Hall were both used as housing for upperclassmen, but Xavier is no longer used. Jordan Hall was torn down to make room for Arrupe Hall, the Jesuit residence on campus. 

In 1960, SJU purchased Regis Hall from the Kolb family. Over the course of 60s, SJU would move to purchase all seven houses and the whole six acre plot of land, spending well over $130,000 dollars towards adding Lapsley Lane towards the campus grounds. Several of the houses would turn into Campus Housing, becoming a new option for students outside of the various dormitories. Other buildings would be turned into offices for the president and other university officials. Boland Hall had the unique honor of being used as the university’s art gallery, owing to its unique, internal architecture design. Lapsley Lane would become an integral part of the campus, and was the first inroad into what would become the Merion side of the campus.

Cooper, Alvare, & Harkins Architects and City Planners. ‘Saint Joseph’s College Expansions Plan.’ 1957. FBLD.0010, Box 5L, Folder Boland. Saint Joseph’s University Library Archive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Croce, Cameron. ‘Lapsley Lane’. Email, 2022. 

Correspondence from Terrence J. Toland to the Saint Joseph’s Community, 1976, FBLD.0010, Box 5L, Folder Boland, Saint Joseph’s University Library Archive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Weeks, Dennis. ‘Boland.’ Email. 1996. FBLD.0010, Box 5L, Folder Boland. Saint Joseph’s University Library Archive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.