Neil Brochu and Derek Sullivan purchased this building about six years ago from the Catholic church. The process was not effortless and took many months and old fashioned letter writing to complete. The clincher seemed to hinge on their plans for the building once deconsecrated; the vague description of "a retreat" seemed to suit the dignity of this once holy space.
This characterization has materialized more than the couple perhaps first anticipated. Faced with a leaking roof, peeling paint and putty, crumbling foundation and lack of power and running water, they could not quickly convert the vast nave into a polished living space. Instead, the church has become more of a camping experience as windows are painted, masonry is replaced, roofing is refitted and lessons are learned. Their first impulse was to paint the walls but they quickly realized whitewashing the "Virgin Mary blue" would require an army of Tom Sawyers and bathtubs of paint. Because of the scale, each job is as daunting as the next. By living in the space and slowly making changes, they are allowing the building to dictate their pace and perhaps find a respite from city life.
