Task Force letter to CBAC- POST HEARINGTask Force to Save St. John Cantius Church
April 27, 2021
Dear CBAC Members,
We are a group of concerned Northampton citizens who are trying to save SJC
church from demolition. Our members are comprised of development
professionals, City government, residents of Ward 3, City associations, and former
members of the latter. One aspect unites us: a love of historic buildings and a love
of Northampton.
We are working with the press to illuminate this tragic turn of events where a
developer presents only one piece of a condo project with a pledge (not a promise,
we know) to try to find a way to repurpose SJC church that sits in the middle of the
parcel that was purchased for $1.6 million. The current condos that replaced the
rectory and parish hall are selling in the mid $700,000s to lower $800,000s. The
proposal to demolish SJC church would add another 5 luxury condos to the site of
the church. In addition, across the street they plan to build another set of multiple
condos in the former church parking lot.
Here is the web site for you to examine the site plan, which contains 23 condos: 23
x $750,000 = $17,250,000!!! https://www.hawleymanor.com
We understand that O’Connell bought this parcel to make money. We do not have
a problem with a developer making money; as I stated above, several of our group
are development professionals. The issue seems to boil down to this: how much
profit does O’Connell have to realize on this total project? Can they be persuaded
to repurpose this church, as they pledged to do (Andrew Crystal, spokesperson, but
Matt in attendance) at the meeting Jim Nash organized in October 2019 at the
parish hall?
Toward that end, we are asking your committee to do the following when O’Connell
returns with their next application for demo:
(1) conduct a Site Visit to the church (I know that at least one CBAC member has
not seen the interior of this incredibly significant building); and
(2) require an independent assessment to ascertain how much would be required
to weather-tighten the church while it sits awaiting a new purpose, e.g., a
restaurant, a classical music venue; a brewery; a community center; etc. etc.
We firmly believe that once the CBAC members have visited this historic church,
you will require O’Connell to firmly establish the first prong of the requiremen ts
before demo can be approved: that there is no viable use for the building. Our
task force does not believe that element of the ordinance was satisfied by
O’Connell. Pauline Fogel, CBAC member, also raised this concern at the April 6th
meeting, but her suggestion to add that as a requirement in Bob’s motion was
ignored or overlooked.
We urge your committee to force the applicant to show you that they have really
tried to fulfill their pledge to this community, not just talked with a few entities that
backed off due to COVID.
We believe that given the progress of vaccinations in this country, a willing tenant
or buyer is out there to be found if the church’s interior were marketed to the
public.
We will pay for the assessment, for professional photos to be taken, for a web site
to be created to market this historical treasure . . . what we need from you is a lever
to encourage O’Connell to work with us and the community at large to find
someone to repurpose the church if O’Connell is unwilling to do so. We believe that
the key is for you to visit the church and see that it is not in the terrible shape that
was represented at the last CBAC meeting (4.6.21).
Why are only 4 of you present to make this huge decision? I understand that some
of your members had to recuse, but are there no alternates to replace them in
situations like this?
Please be on the right side of history on this crucial decision. And encourage the
developer to do the same.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter.
s/ Deborah Henson
Deb Henson, Chair
Task Force to Save St. John Cantius Church