Homeless Hospitality Center Purchases Church Properties

The has officially purchased two church properties, taking a major step toward moving its services and an associated overnight shelter to State Pier Road.

The recorded the center’s purchase of the building as well as a strip of land from on Tuesday. The center plans to move its daytime and support operations to the St. Peter and Paul building, which will also hold a 25-bed overnight shelter, a 15-bed respite area for people recovering from surgery or other ailments, a common area, and a health outreach program. The overnight shelter is currently housed in the .

The $15,000 purchase of land from Faith Fellowship allows pedestrian access to Huntington Street, since it is expected that people using the center will also walk along the route to the and other services. The St. Peter and Paul church was purchased for $275,000, of which contributed $50,000 and the center $75,000; the remaining $150,000 will be paid over five years.

Ted Olynciw, property manager for the Homeless Hospitality Center and overnight shelter, said renovations at the church building have already begun. While the weather remains mild, he and a few homeless people have been doing exterior work such as installing leaf guards in the gutters and trimming trees. Once temperatures become colder, they’ll begin interior work such as painting and installing insulation on pipes.

Olynciw estimated that total renovations tot he building will cost about $500,000.

“Our renovation project will probably take several years, only because we decided to raise the money first as opposed to going out and getting a construction loan,” he said.

Olynciw said that church services will still take place in the building, but that they might make their move to a chapel in the neighboring rectory in the spring. He said the daytime services at the Homeless Hospitality Center, currently located in the former building on Jay Street, will be the first to move over due to the low cost of doing so.

Cathy Zall, director of the Homeless Hospitality Center, said this move of daytime services may take place next fall. She said the shelter might not be set up at the site until a year later. A capital campaign will begin to raise money for the renovations.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but this is a major step for us in getting closer to that goal,” she said.

The move was earlier this year.