HYDE SQ.—The Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) is in talks with the owners of the former Blessed Sacrament Church about making a bid for the property.
“The Hyde Square Task Force and the JP Neighborhood Development Corporation are currently engaged in positive discussions in which we are exploring what a viable offer for the Blessed Sacrament Church would look like,” HSTF organizing director Ken Tangvik said in an email to the Gazette.
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) previously told the Gazette that two offers recently were made for the massive, historic church on Centre Street in Hyde Square. One offer was made by the local development duo of Jason Hutchinson and Andre White. It is unclear whether the HSTF was the second bidder JPNDC referred to. Tangvik and the JPNDC did not immediately respond to follow-up questions.
Church co-owners the JPNDC and New Atlantic Development have controversial plans to convert the church building into high-end condos. But they recently staged a series of meetings to talk about the feasibility of other options and see if any offers came out of that.
The Hyde Square Task Force, a youth leadership organization, already purchased and operates programs in a former school building on the Blessed Sacrament complex. HSTF members have been among the leading critics of the condo plans and called for some type of cultural center instead.
The Hutchinson/White offer involves a small business and nonprofit complex dubbed “JP Exchange.”
View Comments (1)
If JPNDC and New Atlantic do decide to sell the church building one thing is certainly, whether it be the Hutchinson/White of HSTF or whomever, they will have to take their idea to the community and the Center Street Merchants for their input. It maybe, that the Center Street Merchants might not agree with Hutchinson's idea of bring other businesses and stores into the church that might interfere with their already small profit businesses. Whom ever wound up with the church shouldn't believe that they are just going to march in, buy up the church and set up business. This will not happen without the community input!
Thus, I advise the buyers, if there be any, to hold a few community meetings before spending their money on the church to give the community and Center Street merchants the respect of input.
Oren Elow
Community Advocate and
a volunteer to both to
JPNDC & ESMS