Real estate market includes many church buildings
by William Moyer
Real Estate broker Jim Trevitt looks over the First Christian Church of Kirkwood on Thursday afternoon. The church building is one of at least seven for sale in Broome and Tioga counties.
The former St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Vestal is another church building for sale in Broome County.
The former St. Andrew's -- which vacated its buildings after leaving the Episcopal denomination last year and uniting with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America -- is one of at least seven churches for sale in Broome and Tioga counties.
In addition, buyers and sellers are engaged in negotiations to finalize deals on three other vacant church buildings. Soon, two or three additional churches are likely to post "for sale" signs as local Catholic parishes merge and look for buyers for their shuttered buildings.
When it comes to marketing and selling a church, the old real estate adage of "location, location, location" isn't necessarily everything. The task can be difficult and time-consuming, but churches do have appeal -- to the right buyer, according to John Farrell, of Exit Realty.
"The one positive is you're going to sell it to someone who is going to use it as a church; the one negative is you're going to sell it to someone who is going to use it as a church," said Farrell, who is looking for a buyer for the former United Pentecostal Church at 2406 Owego Road in Vestal -- for $125,000.
Translation: when one door closes, another one opens.
"There's always a group of people who are looking to rise up as a church," said Farrell.
Changing the name on the outdoor bulletin board is a common reuse of religious structures.
* In mid 2007, the former St. Joseph Catholic Church -- which merged into Church of the Holy Trinity in July 2003 -- sold its buildings on Glenwood Avenue in Binghamton to Grace Tabernacle for $134,000.
* In early 2006, New Heights Ministries paid $280,000 for the former First Church of Scientist building at Front Street and Riverside Drive in Binghamton.
* In late 2003, Wyoming Conference trustees got $100,000 from Seventh-Day Adventists for the former St. Paul's United Methodist Church at 400 W. Wendell St. in the Town of Union.
"Continued use as a church would seem obvious, but alternative uses for commercial/office use must be considered as well," said Jim Trevitt, of Trevitt Realtors in Vestal. His office is trying to sell the First Christian Church building on Route 11 in Kirkwood for $185,000. "It's a lot of building for the money in terms of quality and space. The cost to reproduce it would be much higher than the current asking price."
That can be a church building's biggest selling point to either another congregation looking for new facilities or a commercial developer.
"Most times, purchasing a former church is the best value as far as dollar per square foot," said Gloria Parkes, of Century 21 John Burns Realty. "(They) have multiple uses, such as daycare center, art gallery, day spa/workout center, home for the elderly, nursing home, homeless shelter, boys and girls club, gathering place, auction house, restaurant."
Parkes is trying to sell the former Colesville Baptist Church at 83 Sanitaria Springs Road in the Town of Colesville for $175,000. A potential buyer was unable to get financing, she said.
If the layout, design, location, zoning and off-street parking often associated with churches can be revamped into another purpose, church buildings can be resurrected with a new identity.
* A local developer is engaged in talks with Johnson City officials about commercial possibilities for the former St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Main Street. The church closed in January 2007 and members moved to Christ the King Lutheran Church in Vestal. Nothing has been finalized
* The former Jehovah's Witness Hall on Taft Avenue in the Town of Union is slated to become a community residential facility operated by the Broome Developmental Disabilities Services Office. The state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and Jehovah's Witness are expected to finalize the deal within weeks, according to town officials.
* After sitting vacant for almost four years, several buildings in the Town of Dickinson related to the former St. Stanislaus Church -- which also merged into Holy Trinity -- have been under contract by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York for use by the Broome Developmental Center. Almost a year in the works, though, the deal is still to be finalized, according to state spokesman Mark Violette, until legalities are resolved on the properties, which include the former church building, school, rectory, convent and garage. Violette wouldn't reveal the price, but said the deal should be closed sometime this spring.
* United Health Services purchased the property of First Baptist Church on Main Street in Johnson City for $1.95 million to be used as a parking lot or other development at Wilson Regional Medical Center. First Baptist expects to move to new facilities on Reynolds Road, north of the Oakdale Mall, by spring 2009.
Other church buildings for sale in Broome and Tioga counties include:
* The former St. Rita Catholic Church in Chenango Forks, which is listed at $159,900. The church has been for sale since mid-2006 after it closed and its furnishings were shipped to a New Orleans parish devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
* A concrete block church building at 310 Chemung St. in Waverly is listed for $99,000.
* Beautiful Plain Baptist Church at 93 Riverside Drive in Binghamton, is listed at $250,000 by Pyramid Brokerage Company. The church has been for sale since June 2005.
* The former St. Andrew's Church is listed at $284,000; the community center carries a $198,500 price tag; and the rectory on Lynnhurst Drive is listed at $158,500.
Officials at the Episcopal diocese office in Syracuse didn't reply to repeated e-mail inquiries about the properties. An official had said last year that starting a new Episcopal parish at the site was a possibility.
After becoming St. Andrew's Anglican Church, the congregation moved to Memorial Park Baptist Church on Front Street in Vestal.
Within two years, St. Andrew's might be looking at the local multi-list for vacant churches, according to the Rev. Anthony Seel, pastor, in order to relocate to its own facility.
"Our relationship with Memorial Park Baptist is fantastic; we have found that there are a number of things that we can do together that benefit our community and both churches," said Seel.
The listing of former churches for sale will likely swell in coming months when several Catholic facilities close as a result of a downsizing of the Syracuse Diocese.
Already, local Catholic officials have announced plans to close St. Christopher in the Town of Chenango when the parish merges with St. Catherine in Hillcrest.
Our Lady of Angels is the likely site for a merger between OLA and Christ the King, both in Endwell, which is scheduled for sometime this summer or early fall. Christ the King will likely be closed, church officials said.
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