Friends of St. Mary's Forms To Save Endangered Pittsfield Church
 An ad hoc committee of concerned citizens has formed to facilitate a future for St. Mary's Church. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A group of former parishioners and other concerned residents have formed an ad hoc committee aimed at encouraging the reuse of the former St. Mary the Morningstar Church, a Tyler Street landmark whose fate has become uncertain in recent weeks.
"The committee's hope is to provide information and assistance to all interested parties who would like to take an active role in finding a suitable re-purpose for St. Mary's Church," according to a statement released by the new group.
The committee first saw its formation immediately after the surprise announcement by Dunkin' Donuts developer Cafua Management that it wishes to purchase and donate that structure in exchange for community support for its revised plan to erect a drive through eatery on the site of the former convent and rectory buildings at that site.
It had initially proposed a controversial plan to demolish the church property.
The Friends group has been quietly meeting to discuss and define what role this informal affinity group can have in finding a solution to the redevelopment of the church.
"I don't know what inspired Cafua to say that they would donate the church to the city, but initially we were all really excited about that," said committee spokeswoman Darcie Sosa at a community meeting on historic preservation on Wednesday. "We know that they have offered to donate it to the city, which we realize isn't necessarily the best opportunity to repurpose it, and that isn't something that should be put on taxpayers."
So far the committee consists of 10 members, three of whom are former city councilors — its president, Bill Barry, and Peter Marchetti and Michael Ward — as well as a variety of Morningside neighborhood residents and persons with past associations to the historic church.
According to Barry, attorneys representing Cafua say they are willing to consider proposals that would see the church redeveloped by a third party company or non-profit, provided that entity can demonstrate a solid plan and at least $150,000 in funds to take on the formidable task.
In addition to the inherent costs of repurposing and getting the building up to code for some other use, any potential new owner will face substantial repair work to the church, which has degraded structurally in the six years that it has been vacant and not maintained.
"We're really going to try to work with potential developers, with the Diocese of Springfield, and with Cafua, city elected officials and anyone in the community that has ideas," said Sosa.
In order to help assist this process, the group has obtained extensive blueprints of the 73-year-old church building, as well as the older adjacent St. Mary's School building, formerly the Tyler Street Theatre.
Mayor Daniel Bianchi reacted favorably to the announcement of the new ad hoc committee, encouraging others with an interest in preserving the church to contact them.
"I would love to hear more about the ideas you have, and I would love to see what we might possibly do," Bianchi told them. "If there are developers or others who might have an idea, please reach out to them."
St. Marys Full Set Architecture Drawings
Tags: ad hoc committee, church reuse, historical building, neighborhood,
