Public Forum On Buffalo’s Saint John Kanty Church Campus Future Held Sunday

From WGRZ:

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Since the Diocese of Buffalo announced its Road to Renewal program with plans to close 80 of its churches across Western New York, the question from parishioners has been what will happen to these buildings once they are ultimately closed?

St. John Kanty Church in Buffalo held a meeting Sunday night to discuss that exactly two weeks after holding its final mass. The church has officially been placed on the market with no plans for the congregation to appeal the closure.

Parishioners and community members gathered to share their perspectives on what they’d like to see the historic church building become now that it will no longer be a church.

While the public didn’t convey many specific ideas, they were able to learn more about what other churches have been converted to in the past, ranging from a daycare to an event space to a skate park and even a bar at one church in the Pittsburgh area.

No matter what St. John Kanty ultimately becomes the community wants to be a part of that decision.

“We’ve been talking about the building as if it is an island, as if it exists independent of the neighborhood and the community in which it is located. It is not,” said Henry-Louis Taylor, UB urban planning professor. “The building must be understood in relationship to its context. It must be understood in relationship to the community in which it stands.”

As much as whoever purchases the property is going to have a say in whatever happens to it, there are still restrictions that the buyer must agree upon with the church before purchasing the property.

Some are as follows:

• The buyer cannot use the church’s name, St. John Kanty.
• The building cannot be used for religious practices without approval from the Roman Catholic Church.
• The building cannot turn into a space that would poorly reflect the church, including a bar, nightclub, restaurant licensed to sell alcohol, casino, space for pornographic material or space for fortune telling.
• The building cannot be used for abortions or family planning.
• All of those restrictions would be in place for 50 years from the time this property is purchased.
• There has been interest so far. The church held an open house Sunday afternoon where 35-40 groups showed interest. The asking price now sits at $400,000.

From BFA:

Given the numerous complexities surrounding the closure of a church, it is both commendable and strategic for Pastor Cole Webster to actively pursue a swift market launch for the St. John Kanty campus.

As the speakers at last night’s forum asserted, there is significant potential for this site to serve as a catalyst for positive change within the community and to attract innovative developers. The successful transformation of a portion of the campus into an apartment complex demonstrates what is possible, suggesting that the future of this property holds the promise of revitalization and growth for the neighborhood.

Embracing this opportunity could lead to outcomes that benefit not only the community but also foster sustainable development in the neighborhood.

Are you interested in the property?

If you are, contact Ayat Nieves, Licensed Real Estate Agent at ayatnieves@gmail.com or call 716-708-8360.