The shuttered and crumbling St. Ann’s Church at Broadway and Emslie on the East Side may have found a savior. According to Buffalo Business First, a “local investment group” has the property under contract with plans to convert the complex into a community center and health care facility.
From Business First:
Plans call for a $22.5 million renovation of the church and its adjoining properties, with the work done in phases during the next few years, said DeCarlo and broker Andrea Brozyna, who also worked on the deal.
The church is expected to be renovated into a community center, while the rectory may become a specialized health care center. The school building is being eyed as administrative offices and some medical testing labs. Plans for the convent are still under review, DeCarlo said.
The gothic-styles church was completed in 1886 (see background here). Church spires, which were 200 feet above the street, were removed in 1964 after suffering storm damage. Church services were suspended in 2012 after structural issues were found. It was closed by the Buffalo Catholic Diocese the following year.
The sale is expected to close within 60 days.