An abandoned church in New York is looking for a new tenant to restore it to its former glory with an asking price of just $100,000.
St. Joseph’s Church in Albany, built in 1861, served as a Roman Catholic parish until 1994 when the Historic Albany Foundation took over the property before later turning it over to the city, ABC News 10 reported. The 17,500-square foot Neo-Gothic church is a “masterpiece” with arching ceilings and stained glass windows, but the building requires “significant” stabilization work and could use some sprucing up on the inside, according to the Times Union.
“You can only hope to find someone who’s willing to restore it to its former grandeur,” Felton McLaughlin, the real estate agent for the property, told the outlet.
Historic 160-year-old St. Joseph’s Church in Albany, New York is listed for sale at ‘cheap price’ of $100K! #RealEstate #commercialrealestate #forsale pic.twitter.com/cEYc0hEUxm
— DH76 Capital Partners (@dh76capital) March 9, 2023
The church has seen its fair share of vandalism over the years, the latest incident occurring in 2021 when a group of people broke into the building over Halloween and lit fires inside, Times Union reported. The city has poured almost $95,000 into repairs, hoping that it might attract a new tenant, the outlet stated. (RELATED: These Photos Show The Damage Done To The Notre Dame Cathedral)
“Our goal for listing the property is to spark an innovative idea for a future use by an owner who will restore and preserve this historic building and be a good neighbor,” David Galin, chief of staff for the Albany Mayor’s Office, told ABC News 10.
The last attempt to repurpose the building was more than a decade ago when there was a proposal to turn the church into a craft brewery and restaurant. That plan, however, was shut down by neighborhood opposition and the building has been vacant ever since, Times Union reported.
The array of possibilities open to the building include a single-family home, community center, day care center, restaurant, hospital, school and bed and breakfast, the outlet stated. To further incentivize renovations, the property has “high potential for federal and state funding” to include tax credits and grants, the listing for the property states.