Sold Churches become Luxury Condominiums!

[Tight_rope]

By DENISE LAVOIE, Associated Press Writer

BOSTON - When St. Peter and Paul's Church was sold to a developer, there was a lot of resistance in South Boston. Not only was the beloved church closing, it was being turned into something that was an anathema to the working-class neighborhood: luxury condominiums.

As the Boston Archdiocese prepares to put 60 churches up for sale, developers and real estate brokers predict they will be scooped up and converted into condos because the market is hot for trendy, distinctive real estate.

"Huge, huge, huge, huge, huge," said Peter LaBranche, a real estate agent in Newton, where two churches are to be closed. "They'll sell in a heartbeat, overnight, in 10 minutes."

Eric Reenstierna, an appraiser who specializes in church properties, said converting them into living space is often difficult and expensive because of the desire to preserve unusual architectural details while creating extra floors within the often cavernous buildings.

"The big hall with high ceilings can have its uses, but the churches are designed for one use and that's religious, so they aren't an easy proposition in terms of converting them for residential use," Reenstierna said. "They are expensive and there is a lack of community acceptance, there's a kind of aversion to living in a building that was once a church."

But that aversion isn't overwhelming, and the draw of stained glass, stonework and moldings can translate into pricey apartments, Reenstierna said.

"Every one of these churches will have a market in terms of some residential developer because the demand is just so strong," he said.

Archbishop Sean O'Malley announced the closures in May in the midst of a financial crisis caused in part by settlements in the clergy sex abuse crisis. He said declining Mass attendance, a shortage of priests and the inability of the archdiocese to support struggling parishes — many with older buildings in desperate need of repairs — added to the crisis.

More------------> http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040613/ap_on_re_us/churches_as_condos_2

[silverlib]

1. That's sad...

Less people attending mass, and here they are telling wonderful people who support a woman's right to choose that they can't have communion.

[PartyPooper]

2. As sad as this is, if these churches were in Texas...

...Well, Junior would be buying a few for Himself.

:eyes:

[murielm99]

3. As sad as it is, they brought it on themselves.

They have had to spend so much money to settle the sexual abuse cases.

I could not live in one of those. It would feel like sacrilege.

[Hand]

4. Man... I am so sick of this...

Everywhere you look, EVERYTHING is being turned into Luxury Condominiums. It's the triumph of greed and exclusivity over all else. "AND you have the satisfaction of not only owning this luxury condominium, but also knowing that you've taken something precious away from everybody else!!!!!" seems to be the philosophy.

It's happened here in Halifax over and over. The waterfront, which used to have a beautiful open view, is now blocked by fucking luxury condominiums. So are the Public Gardens. So's just about everything worth liking...

(/rant)

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[recidivist]

5. Get used to it.

We are on track to double the population every 40 years. This is entirely immigration driven. Congestion will increase inexorably until we embrace population stability as a goal. Conversion of existing buildings in desirable areas to housing is just one of the effects.

I am for population stability, and that means controlling the borders. How about you?

[LeftHander]

6. "Big Box" Religion to thank for that....

Big money big box non-denominational "Christian" chuches are springin up all over the country and literally in the country. These massive churches funded by other "christian" based lenders build these churches with little or no scrutiny by locals. The result is the 150 year old historic downtown churches are forced to close by the "national" funding organizations.

Gone are the small churches in many outskirt towns and villages.

The masses are attracted by contemporary services, big money media, shows, sparkling shiney and new....

Americans for the most part want to shop and work at WalMart and for them most part they want to worship in one too...

[Malva Zebrina]

7. Most of these older churches are huge, stone cathedrals

that must cost a fortune to heat. They cannot be maintained here in the US, because they are so huge and ostentatious as well as the loss of the devout attendees and the flock. Better to sell them than to put in for government welfare using our money to keep them open and viable.