A light rain falls Thursday afternoon on Maison Marcotte on Campus Avenue in Lewiston. The longtime senior housing facility is being sold to Lewiston Housing Authority. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

LEWISTON — The Lewiston Housing Authority plans to acquire the 128-unit Maison Marcotte senior living community from St. Mary’s Health System, with plans to renovate the property in the coming years.

Officials from Lewiston Housing and St. Mary’s announced Thursday that they are in “final discussions aimed at transferring ownership” of the Maison Marcotte property after discussing the move for more than two years.

The senior living community, at 100 Campus Ave., is across from St. Mary’s Hospital and linked by an underground tunnel, offering residents easy access to health care services, a chapel and a cafeteria.

A news release said residents “will continue to enjoy seamless access to St. Mary’s health care providers and benefit from an array of programs and partnerships introduced by Lewiston Housing,” and that “a dedicated full-time staff encompassing management, maintenance, and resident services will be committed to ensuring a quality lifestyle for all residents.”

Lewiston Housing officials said they are in the “final stages of planning and due diligence” toward the acquisition. When asked for the reasoning behind the sale, St. Mary’s officials said they plan to provide more details “once the transaction closes.”

In recent years, St. Mary’s has struggled financially, terminating programs and staff.

Massachusetts-based Covenant Health, which owns St. Mary’s Health System, has had to cover financial shortfalls at St. Mary’s in the amount of $88 million over the past three years. Spokesman Benjamin Sullivan told the Sun Journal in February that Covenant Health would likely “be forced to work with the St. Mary’s Health System to further curtail service offerings.”

According to the news statement, Lewiston Housing plans to finance the acquisition through MaineHousing, and has “ambitious plans to substantially rehabilitate the property within the next five years” by utilizing the state’s low income housing tax credit program.

“Our long-standing relationship with both the staff and residents of Maison Marcotte, through our Housing Assistance Contract for the property’s 100 subsidized units, makes this transition a natural and logical step forward for us,” said Lewiston Housing Executive Director Chris Kilmurry.

Lewiston Housing is also at the beginning stages of a senior housing project at the former Martel School on Lisbon Street.

“For many years, St. Mary’s Health System has been privileged to serve the Maison Marcotte community with management and maintenance services,” Thursday’s statement said. “In keeping with its mission, the well-being of the residents has always been a priority, a commitment shared by Lewiston Housing. This strategic transfer is a testament to the commitment of both Lewiston Housing and St. Mary’s Hospital to the well-being and enhanced living experience of the senior residents of Maison Marcotte, marking a new chapter of growth for the community.”

The St. Mary’s Health System also includes d’Youville Pavilion, a senior care community that offers a rehabilitation center, long-term skilled nursing care and memory care.