SALEM — An independent agency within the Archdiocese of Boston has proposed converting a former church rectory into a charter school for high school dropouts.
The Planning Office for Urban Affairs, the development wing of the Catholic church in Boston, submitted a proposal to incorporate the city's new charter school into the $20 million affordable-housing project it plans to start building this summer at the former St. Joseph Church property on Lafayette Street.
The School Department is looking for space for Salem Community Charter School, which was recently approved by the state and is scheduled to open in September. A Planning Office official said the agency was approached by the city about the building search.
The only other proposal for space came from the owners of Museum Place Mall, the retail/office development on the Essex Street pedestrian mall.
The offer from the archdiocese, it turns out, comes with a catch.
The former St. Joseph rectory, which has been closed for six years and would require extensive renovations, could not be ready by Aug. 1, the deadline the city set for occupying the building.
As an option, the Planning Office for Urban Affairs suggested the city consider leasing temporary space while it renovates the rectory, a project it estimated would cost $1.5 million. In a nonbinding proposal, the developer said it could be ready by Dec. 31, but definitely no later than August 2012.
Jessica Yurwitz, principal of the new charter school, said both building options will be discussed today at a meeting of the school's executive committee.
The Museum Place Mall proposal is the only offer that meets the city timeline for opening. It also has more than enough space for the charter school, which needs room to expand in future years.
Marley Properties, the owner of Museum Place Mall, proposed two sites, one upstairs in the mall and a second downstairs. The larger, second-floor location is next to Jewish Family and Children's Services and has lots of room for expansion. The first-floor site was formerly leased by Salem State University for continuing education.
The charter school is currently using a temporary office in Museum Place Mall.
Shetland Properties, which houses the city's other charter school, Salem Academy Charter, did not make an offer because of the short time period to build out the school space.
"We would love to have them here if the circumstances allow us to do it properly," said John Kelly, the project manager for Shetland Properties.
The offer by the Planning Office for Urban Affairs is interesting for several reasons.
First, the archdiocese did not submit an offer to lease the former St. James School on Federal Street, which was used as a public school within the past decade and, more recently, was home to the relocated St. Joseph School.
Several weeks ago, Superintendent William Cameron even mentioned this site as a likely option.
The former parochial school building apparently was not proposed because it is not handicapped-accessible.
"That's the biggest challenge with charter school facilities," Yurwitz said. "They have to be completely compliant (with the Americans with Disabilities Act) on day one."
A spokesman for the archdiocese also said they are looking for a tenant who can occupy the whole building, as it would be cost-prohibitive to lease only part of it.
Offering the former St. Joseph rectory is something of a surprise because there are tentative plans to convert the building to condominiums. Beginning in late summer, the Planning Office plans to demolish the St. Joseph Church and convent and erect a four-story building with 51 affordable apartments. Plans for the former St. Joseph School are undecided.
In a letter, an official at the Planning Office for Urban Affairs said converting the rectory to a charter school would be a good fit for both the city and developer and would meet the agency's social justice goals of helping the community and Salem families.
"Clearly, there is an extraordinary synergy between the empowerment goals that continue to drive the redevelopment of the former St. Joseph campus and your vision for the Salem Community Charter School," Lisa Alberghini, president of the Planning Office, wrote to school officials.
Some of the 38 students who have signed up for Salem Community Charter School so far are from The Point neighborhood adjacent to the rectory site, a school official said.
This is not the first time the archdiocese has tried to incorporate a planned city facility into its project. Several years ago, it proposed including a senior center in the development, a plan that later was abandoned.
Salem Community Charter School plans to enroll 50 students this first year and increase the enrollment in coming years. The school is targeting dropouts and potential dropouts.
The school will hold its next informational session Thursday, May 26, at 6 p.m. in Suite 121 in Museum Place Mall, its temporary headquarters.
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