Residents began moving into their units of October of 1999. Bishop Donald Wuerl officiated at the dedication ceremony. During his remarks, he stated that Alverno is just the most recent of those activities which the Sisters of St. Francis put forward on behalf of others. Each apartment is approximately 530 square feet in size and contains a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. In addition, the building houses a large lobby, laundry, small kitchen and community room.
Electronic security is provided in both the public areas and each apartment.
The building is unique because it sits on the site of the Motherhouse campus and fulfills the continuum of life cycle on the campus ranging from day care to high school to senior living. The Alverno Apartments are so named to honor the sacred place where St. Francis of Assisi received the imprint of the wounds of Jesus in his flesh. It is the dream of the community that the apartments will always be a place where the qualities of peace, hope and love of God and neighbor will prevail as they did in the life of Francis.