Batavia likely to reject offer to buy old church property

Batavia officials are inclined to say "thanks, but no thanks" to an unsolicited offer to buy the former First Baptist Church at Route 25 and Washington Street.

Christ the King Church, which rents space in the Eastside Community Center, has offered to pay $400,000 for the church building and an attached classroom building. (It does not want to buy the parking lot.)

But the city council's government services committee this week recommended the city council reject the offer.

The city of Batavia bought the church in 2005 for $715,000, when First Baptist Church moved in to a new building west of town. It was part of a plan to straighten out a jog in Route 25 (Washington), but that later proved financially unfeasible. A youth baseball league stores its equipment in the building and in a shed, and the lot is designated for public parking.

A consultant is working on a redevelopment plan for the whole block that contains the church. City officials hope that a mix of retail, office and residential uses, plus an underground parking garage, can be built, as a kind of "gateway" to downtown Batavia. The city would like to maintain the church building, which dates to 1885, suggesting it could be converted to a restaurant or other uses.

Christ the King is an offshoot of College Church of Wheaton. It began meeting in Batavia in 2001. The growing congregation would like to have a home of its own.

City Administrator Bill McGrath recommended the city council's government services committee reject the sale, saying the offer was too low, the proposed mortgage too long, and that the city ought to "see what else the world has to propose to the city."

"With all due respect to Christ the King, and with the hope that it indeed finds a permanent home in Batavia, preferably downtown, the staff recommends against consideration at this time," he wrote in a memo.

Christ the King has proposed putting $100,000 down and taking out a 30-year mortgage from the city for the balance, at 5 percent interest. It also offered to pay the city $2,000 a year in lieu of property taxes.

McGrath said a 10- to 15-year mortgage would be more appropriate.

The Baptists moved out in 2008, to a new home in the Mill Creek subdivision.

In January 2008, the city invited nonprofit organizations to tour the building, if they were interested in buying it, and to make an offer within 30 days. No offers were made.

In mid-April, the consultant made its first presentation about the project.

Christ the King made its offer April 30.

The building needs roof repairs, a new furnace and boiler, significant electrical upgrading and asbestos abatement. The sanctuary, offices and fellowship hall are not handicapped accessible, and the whole building does not meet current fire safety codes. That's part of why Christ the King only offered $400,000, according to their offer letter.