Convent Renovation Project

To Help us with the Renovation Project, Please contact
Mr. Keith Costello Project Coordinator and Member of the Finance Council

History

Over the course of the past few months, St. Patrick has had to make a few adjustments in the plan for the future. As some of you are aware, the building that we have known as the Rectory has long had a problem with water coming into the basement. This problem has gone from something that was going to need attention in the future, to a problem that required a move to another location for priests residence. The office staff had not worked from this location since March of 2020.

Fortunately, we are blessed at St. Patrick’s with several buildings that are in pretty good shape. One of which is the former Convent, built in 1954, behind the Church.

The Convent originally housed the Sisters of the Holy Union of the Sacred Hearts, who taught the children at the school. There were sisters living in the Convent for about 19 years, and since then the space has been repurposed several times.

Floor Plans

The building currently houses on the ground floor the Chapel, where daily mass took place pre-Covid, and the “The Kitchen Door”, St Patrick’s food pantry and ministry to those in need in our community. There were also a couple of meeting spaces.

But for the purpose of creating a living space, the important part of the building now is a very large unused second floor, which was where the nuns had their bedrooms and living space.

This space is now designated as the new Rectory! In order to make it livable for the priests. This is where most of the major renovation is taking place.

Below are images of the floor plans after the space has been renovated:

Renovation Update

Over the past several months we have been working to renovate the Convent Building to become a Clergy Residence. I am glad to report that the work is almost 90% complete. I am so glad that many parishioners came up to donate towards this course. The total budget for the renovation was $280,000. We raised together $179,475 so far. We also took a loan from the Archdiocese through the Inter Parish Fund Loan Program of $82,000. A loan that we will pay back at a 3.75%.

We have completed the second floor with 2 bedrooms, 2 bath- rooms, living room, kitchen, and laundry room with appliances for the kitchen and laundry room, new HVAC unit, new water heater unit, repairs to the roof, increased attic insulation, electrical service capacity upgrade, and miscellaneous household start up items. We have also replaced two windows, window blinds, and minor kitchen appliances.

We still would like to work on the 3rd phase of the renovation. This will be the first-floor renovation replacing exterior siding on the west wall, rain gutter maintenance or replacement, installing attic exhaust fan and attic stair wall insulation. Any help to help complete this project will be greatly appreciated. This weekend, you are all welcome to walk through the building to see the progress so far.

My deep gratitude again to all those who have very generously contributed towards this project and to our finance committee for steering the renovation and our many fundraising initiatives for this project.

To make a Donation, please write a check to the parish identifying it for this project or donate online through our Gift-central Platform. No gift is too small.

For more införmation about this project, please contact Mr. Keith Costello, the Project Coordinator