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April 20, 2023

Developer buys former church property in Suffield after apartment conversion plan denied

Contributed 140 South Main St., Suffield
By Hanna Snyder Gambini

A developer looking to convert a Suffield church into apartments has purchased the property for $588,000 despite the Planning and Zoning Commission denying his application.

James R. McMahon of Guilford and LND 2000 LLC bought property at 140 South Main St., for $450,000 from Sacred Heart Parish Corp., according to town land use records.

Records show McMahon also bought the neighboring property, 156 South Main, as principal of MI 2 LLC from Sacred Heart Parish for $138,000. Both deals were recorded April 3.

Since November, McMahon has been seeking an adaptive reuse permit from Suffield land use boards to convert the former St. Joseph Catholic church into apartments. 

Originally, he planned 16 one- and two-bedroom apartments over three floors. Two apartments would have been deemed affordable.

To address concerns aired during a public hearing, McMahon later presented scaled-down plans for 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments, and he eliminated the affordable units.

McMahon originally planned to use the neighboring property at 156 South Main for parking, but later moved all 14 parking spaces behind the 140 South Main building.

The church was built in 1952 and contains 12,600 square feet of space. McMahon had said he would not change the footprint of the building in order to maintain the property’s existing character.

The Planning and Zoning Commission in February unanimously voted to deny the application. 

Members said McMahon failed to show a substantial benefit to the town from the project; failed to show that the conversion is compatible with the surrounding area, and failed to show that there is a substantial inability to develop the property under current zoning regulations, according to town records. 

Commission members listed other reasons for denying the application, like the proposed density of 13 units per acre is not appropriate for the general vicinity, parking and loading facilities are inadequate and improperly located, and conversion of the structure to multifamily residential is not an appropriate use, town records show.
 
McMahon could not be reached for comment regarding his plans for the property and whether he will reapply for an apartment conversion. 

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