Q: If the convent building is in such bad shape, why don’t we just demolish it and build a new Parish Center?

A: That is certainly an option to consider. But we must first check to see what it would cost to renovate the Convent Building. The reasons for this are:

1) Because the heating system for the Church and Rectory are also in the Convent Basement. Mechanical
installations are usually the most expensive part of new buildings, so we don’t want to be too quick to get rid of
the heating system we currently have.

2) One estimate for demolition of the convent building is $115,000.00. That’s a lot of money to spend just to have a flat piece of ground (which we already own).

3) If we did demolish the convent building, we could not build a new building at the same site. Because of City
set-back codes, new construction would have to be 35 feet back from the curb. Something to be aware of.

Final cost estimates are going to determine which route we will take. We are in the process of meeting with a
construction company, and getting feasibility studies done with structural, electrical and mechanical engineers. That will eventually tell us what it would cost to renovate the convent versus knocking it down and putting up a new building. Some initial preliminary estimates suggest that renovating the convent building would be more affordable, but when you work with old buildings, there can be some “costly surprises.”

We should be getting the numbers we need in the coming months. We ask for everyone’s prayers as we discern which actions need to be taken. We welcome any input, suggestions or questions as we try to come up with a workable plan.