Vernon Official: Sacred Heart Property Deal Could Close Soon

VERNON, CT — Town officials are anticipating a closing on the Sacred Heart parish property on Route 30 "soon," but said the prospective owner wants to remain anonymous until all the paperwork becomes official.

It's consistent with the agreement to have the former church building razed about four months ago, Vernon Economic Development Coordinator Shaun Gately said late last week.

The property, owned by the Catholic Discese of Norwich, has drawn interest for months, but the transaction was contingent partly upon the demolition of "the old condemned structures." That happened in March, when the church — which resembled a spacecraft, a missile silo or ancient pyramid, depending on who was giving the opinion — was dismantled from the top-down. It was a day-long event in Vernon.

The diocese took over the property about a year-and-a-half ago after the merger of the Sacred Heart and St. Bernard parishes in Vernon. Sacred Heart had been using the adjacent former school facilities for weekend Masses, other church services and activities.

The 7-acre property has been on the market for $900,000.

The 13,717-square-foot former church building was ordered closed in 1997 because of structural problems and falling chunks of concrete. Repairs were deemed cost-prohibitive.

In recent years, it had been the target of trespassers and vandals, police said.

The local address of the property is 550 Hartford Turnpike.