Developer plans to turn School Street church into apartment complex
Patrick Brady wants to turn the Central Union Methodist Church, which closed in 2025, into a 41-unit apartment building. Photo by Christian Uva
Patrick Brady wants to turn the Central Union Methodist Church, which closed in 2025, into a 41-unit apartment building. Photo by Christian Uva
MIDDLEBORO — A former house of God may become a home for 41 people.
A Middleboro developer is hoping to convert a Methodist church building into an apartment complex with exclusively studio apartments.
The planned project would include installing 41 studio apartment units into the former Central United Methodist Church at 10 School St. and razing the single-family home at the neighboring 16 School St. The three-family home at 22 School St. would remain.
Patrick Brady of Nemasket Capital Partners said he wanted to renovate the church instead of replacing it to keep the feel of School Street.
“Some buildings make a downtown what it is,” Brady said. “Tearing it down and building new would be a lot easier, but this church is part of what School Street looks like.”
Three floors of studio apartments, most of which would be 339 square feet, would be installed.
Brady said the building would be targeted at people working in and around Middleboro Center. He said there was a high demand for studio apartments that “can rent at a price that a working person can afford.”
He also said he did “not want to put a tax on the school system” by bringing apartments targeted at families to town.
The church building’s steeple would be removed during renovation of the facade. Brady described it as a liability for insurance. He said that the steeple would possibly be placed on the lawn to “pay homage” to it.
He noted that the church did not have the steeple before 1860, and that he was trying to recreate the facade’s pre-1860 appearance.
Brady is asking the Zoning Board of Appeals for a zoning variance, since the property sits in a business district and is not zoned for residential buildings. He also said he is working with the Historical Commission and needs a site plan review before he can get approval from the town.
He hopes to begin construction after finalizing the land purchase in June 2027 and beginning construction soon after. He’s hoping to open the new apartment building in January 2029.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a hearing for this project at a future meeting.
