By Patrick McGroarty
News Editor

The Codman Company has mailed out a request for bids to parties who have expressed interest in purchasing the parcel of land along Dorchester Avenue currently occupied by St. William Church.

Blessed Mother Teresa Parish, which controls the St. William property, voted to open the bidding process at a council meeting last Thursday night after discussing one preliminary plan presented to Rev. Paul Soper, pastor of Mother Teresa parish by a community member.

Fr. Soper declined to identify the potential developer to the council, describing him as, "a man known by the parish, whom I can readily say that I trust."

Soper stressed that the developer's proposal was in no way a final bid, and ultimately the council made a motion to invite the anonymous developer to enter the standard bidding process.

Fr. Soper also asked that the Reporter withhold the specifics of the discussion surrounding the preliminary proposal lest other interested developers be led to believe that a concrete decision has been made.

"We took a look at a particular proposal that was interesting, and decided we'd like to talk more with this or any potential contractor," said Soper.

What was clear is that any final agreement will have to meet a purchase price that would allow the Blessed Mother Teresa to pay off approximately $300,000 in debt and establish an endowment to protect the future health of the parish. The St. William property has been appraised at approximately $3 million, though Soper and the council agreed they would entertain all bids regardless of proposed sale price.

At the meeting, council members expressed their interest in retaining a portion of the property for parish-controlled use such as a parish library or reading room, a temporary worship space, or an emergency residential facility for those in need. Hopes that the property could be developed as an assisted living facility lost steam several weeks ago when a report from the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation concluded that such a facility would only be economically feasible if the property were sold at around $500,000, far below the mark necessary for the parish to protect its financial stability.

The council decided by unanimous vote to re-open the bidding process through their real estate agent, Codman Company, and invited the unnamed developer to enter a formal bid.

Codman Principal James Belli said a number of potential developers have approached his firm, but that he doubted any formal bids would be entered until near the end of the month.

"There has been quite a bit of interest," said Belli. "A range of parties, from developers to other church groups, have approached us."

Codman will collect bids through the end of August, and the parish council will reconvene to discuss any formal proposals on September 13.

Read more Dorchester Reporter coverage on this issue

Consensus difficult to reach in re-use of St. William site (July 20,2006)
St. William Church to be sold (May 4, 2006)
Church sale seen as chance for healing (May 15, 2006)
First meeting held to discuss sale of Saint William (May 25, 2006)