In 2021, an inspection by the Diocesan insurer concluded that the St. Joseph’s Parish Center had significant mold, asbestos, and structural issues. Renovating the 60-year-old building that was too costly to operate and no longer met the needs of the parish did not make sense.

After careful consideration, a decision was reached to subdivide the 4.71-acre property and sell the back 3.03 acres while retaining the front 1.68 acres for future use. In March of 2022, the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish Council voted in accordance with the council bylaws, and the sale of the property was approved.

After reviewing offers from two developers, the substantially higher offer from a joint venture between Honeycomb Real Estate Partners and Vesta Corporation was accepted. The owners of these companies have decades of experience in real estate development and have successfully helped many towns to design properties that fit into the community while addressing much-needed affordable housing needs.

There were several inaccuracies presented in earlier letters sent to the Valley Courier. The Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish Council is composed of equal members from both St. Joseph’s Church and Our Lady of Sorrows Church. The insinuation that the Essex members of the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Council sold the parish center is inaccurate and misleading.

The plan is to construct eight two-story Colonial-style buildings, not 14 buildings as described in the May 25 letter (“An Affordable Housing Crisis”). Town officials, including the fire department and water authority, were consulted during the process to ensure all safety and environmental concerns were addressed.

There is a great need for high-quality, affordable housing in the town, and this development fulfills the need while maintaining New England-style architecture. This development also helps Chester get closer to meeting the state’s requirement for 10% affordable housing.

Kevin Brough

Chester

Kevin Brough is the president of the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Council