The first wave of recently closed churches has hit the real estate market. McGuire Development Co. has been retained by the Diocese of Buffalo to market four of the church properties. To date, twenty Buffalo churches have been shuttered as part of the controversial "Journey in Faith and Grace," a strategic planning and spiritual revitalization initiative launched in June 2005 to respond to shrinking population, changing demographics, declining attendance, and fewer diocesan priests.
The wholesale closing of churches, which have served as neighborhood social and cultural anchors for decades, has left preservation advocates and residents scrambling. Reuse and preservation of all of the structures will be difficult. Diocese officials say they are looking for “sensitive” reuse for not only the churches, but also the rectories, schools and convents being vacated.
The properties listed with McGuire are:
-Visitation Church at 1040 East Lovejoy Street, built in 1898. The church/hall is 16,291 sq.ft. and the rectory is 5,006 sq.ft.
-St. Agnes located at 92 Benzinger Street. The circa-1883 church, rectory, school and convent total 33,536 sq.ft. of space. It carries a $310,000 asking price.
Visitation and St. Agnes churches were merged with St. Francis of Assisi at 118 Schiller Street.
-St. Valentine at 522 South Park Avenue includes a circa-1920 church and school totaling 15,157 sq.ft. along with a 3,599 sq.ft. rectory. It is on the market for $230,000.
-Precious Blood Church at 140/145 Lewis Street (entry image). The property includes a 4,250 sq.ft. church built in 1899, a 3,145 sq.ft. rectory, and a 2,841 sq.ft. house. It is listed at $150,000.
St. Valentine and Precious Blood, along with two additional congregations, merged with St. Stephen Church located at 193 Elk Street.
Closed churches are not necessarily doomed. Many of the churches are expected to be sold to other religious groups. Former churches locally have been converted to community centers, apartments, condominiums, offices, arts/performance space, and manuscript museums. An effort is underway to preserve St. Ann and St. Francis Xavier churches as religious artifact museums.
Others have not faired too well- several former churches have been demolished, usually after an arson, or are sitting vacant as symbols of neighborhood decline and abandonment.
Twenty have closed and there are more to come. Later this year, the final restructuring plans will be made public. Decisions will be announced regarding the two remaining clusters of churches in South Buffalo and Kaisertown.
Besides the Roman Catholic churches hitting the real estate market, there are currently at least five others for sale throughout the city. No one wants to believe any of these structures will be razed, but saving thirty or more churches is going to be a heavy lift.
Get connected: McGuire Development,: 716.829.1900