UPDATE ON FORMER PROVINCIALATE PROPERTIES

When the Province of the United States was formed in July 2002, the Transition Coordinating Committee passed on to the Provincial Council of the new Province the responsibility to determine the use of the former Provincialate properties in St. Louis, Dayton, Baltimore and Cupertino.

In reflecting on how to use this patrimony of the Province, the Provincial Council created an Ad Hoc Properties Committee to assist the Council in its discernment in the context of the mission priorities of the new Province. Bros. Ed Brink, Robert Hoppe and Eugene Meyerpeter and Fr. Patrick Tonry agreed to serve on this Ad Hoc Committee. For over two years, from January 2003 to June 2005, this committee assisted the Provincial Council in soliciting suggestions and reflecting on possible uses of these properties. Although the decisions explained below are the responsibility of the Provincial Council, the Council thanks these four men for their valuable advice, time and reflection.

Based on the information gathered by the committee, the advice given by the committee, the reflections of the Provincial Chapter, and its own reflections on the needs for the Province mission, the Provincial Council has made decisions about all of the properties that housed former Provincial administrations.

• Maryland Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri: The Provincial offices of the former St. Louis Province on Maryland Avenue were renovated into residential rooms and guest rooms to support the work of the new Provincial offices on West Pine Boulevard in St. Louis. This work was completed by December 1, 2002.
• Cupertino, California: The discernment concerning the use of the Provincial offices of the former Province of the Pacific in Cupertino included discernment about the use of the former Marianist Center and the Villa St. Joseph Care Center in Cupertino. For financial necessities, the Marianist Center was closed as a retreat center in the summer of 2003. After much discernment and consultation the Provincial Council decided to move the Marianist Care Center in Cupertino, California, from the present Villa St. Joseph building to the former Marianist Center building. The renovation of the Marianist Center to house a community in Cupertino consisting of active members, members in assisted living and members in nursing care is presently underway. The renovated center will hopefully be available for occupation in the spring of 2007. The former Villa St. Joseph property and the former Provincial offices (San Juan Community) are on the real estate market and will be vacated once the Marianist Center renovation is completed.
• Dayton, Ohio: The Provincial offices of the former Province of Cincinnati were housed in the Marianist Hall building on the Mount St. John property in Dayton, Ohio. Presently the Marianist Mission is studying the possibility of moving its operation to the Marianist Hall building. This will require some renovation and additions to the building. Preliminary drawings have been approved by the Provincial Council. More detailed drawings and cost analyses are being prepared.
• Roland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland: The Provincial Council has been in discernment concerning the future ministries of the Province in the Baltimore area. Ideas were solicited by the Ad Hoc Committee concerning the use of this building. Among the suggestions seriously studied were the use of the building for a formation house, for a center of Marianist ministries on the East Coast, and a retreat/conference center for Marianists on the East Coast. After dialogue with the people involved in formation and the various ministries that could be housed at the Roland Avenue property, there was little or no interest expressed. Although the Roland Avenue building has been used for Province meetings, the cost of taking care of the building and the property to run periodic Province meetings did not seem economically feasible. Therefore the Provincial Council is moving forward trying to find a new living situation for Marianist religious ministering in the Baltimore area. The Council has decided that the institutional focus of the Province mission in the Baltimore area will be at St. Joseph’s Parish in Eldersburg and at Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore. There will be two communities in the Baltimore area: one at the parish in Eldersburg and one in the Baltimore area. The Roland Avenue property is being put on the real estate market and new accommodations are being sought for the community in Baltimore.