HYDE SQ.—The sale of the Norbert School on the Blessed Sacrament Church campus has been finalized and construction has started to turn the building into 21 apartments.
“We are thrilled to be at this point and bring new life to a historic building,” said Dave Traggorth, the project manager.
The Norbert building had housed the COMPASS School, but it left in 2009, leaving the building empty.
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) and New Atlantic Development bought the Blessed Sacrament Church campus at 365 Centre St. in 2005. The Norbert building is on the rear of the site at 26 Sunnyside St.
The Norbert School Associates filed plans to turn the building into 21 market-rate apartments last year, which was met with some community opposition. The Inspectional Services Department (ISD) ruled the proposal would need variances until the Norbert School Associates changed the plan to include two affordable-housing units. ISD then revised its ruling, saying no variances were needed, but the affordable units are still part of the plan.
The sale of the building from JPNDC and New Atlantic to Norbert School Associates for $900,000 was completed Nov. 8. Traggorth said construction is expected to be completed by late next year.
The Norbert School building. (Gazette File Photo by John Ruch)