Church of the Redeemer’s Vestry voted unanimously last night to pursue the purchase of the church at 107 Highwood Ave in Highwood for our church home. The vote came at the end of a meeting that involved careful review of Redeemer’s operational finances, funds committed and received, and the costs associated with moving forward. The Vestry was joined, for a time, by Scott Krone, who as our construction manager detailed the renovation costs. Krone, who has worked with several churches on the North Shore and has extensive experience with development in a number of communities, reflected that the experience with Highwood has been relatively straightforward and positive.
The process was slowed for a few weeks by Highwood’s requirement that we re-pave the municipal parking lot that the church will use. Some have been concerned that it was not a fair request, but in the end, the Vestry felt it was not a ‘deal breaker’, especially as funds have been recently committed to help with a significant portion of the costs. And many see it as a way of blessing the entire community as we begin our ministry there.
Last night’s decision is dependent on the satisfactory resolution of an environmental issue discovered during ‘due diligence’, namely the presence of an underground heating oil tank, that will need to be tested and removed.
More information will be provided to church members in the coming weeks as the process moves toward closing.
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