South Shore church property is one (big) step closer to development. What is next

BRAINTREE – The town council unanimously approved a rezone request for a local developer to build townhomes on a former Catholic church property.

The change allows the property to be redeveloped where the buildings are clustered on the former St. Thomas More Church property and in turn preserve between three and five acres of land.

While the project itself must still be reviewed by the town’s planning board, developer George Clements’ proposal calls for 48 townhomes for people who are 55 and older. It would be the first age-restricted condo development in Braintree and each unit would cost about $800,000.

More: Former St. Thomas More Church in Braintree: Developer talks about the next move

The rezone request came shortly after Mayor Erin Joyce presented her $168.7 million spending plan for the next year, which accounts for $10 million in cuts to the town budget and an $8 million tax override that voters would have to approve in June.

How can rezoning St. Thomas More property help Braintree's finances?

“Our problem is ‘do nothing, do nothing, do nothing’ and look where we are financially,” District 2 Councilor Joseph Reynolds said in his explanation of why he supported the rezone. “We need to do something. Action makes things happen. Taking no action allows someone else to dictate the terms to us. I’ll be darned if I let somebody else dictate the terms of what Braintree should be.”

The town’s planning board in March narrowly recommended the rezone change by a vote of 3-2.

Residents who spoke out against the rezone were concerned about traffic, drainage and the fit of these proposed townhomes in the neighborhood.

“This ordinance is not going to serve that neighborhood or the people. It only serves the developer,” resident Coleen Carol said.

But town councilors, some of whom used to attend St. Thomas More before it officially closed in November 2022, said this is the type of development that Braintree so sorely needs as it steers toward better financial straits.

“Braintree is known to being not open for business,” Councilor Shannon Hume said. “If we kept saying ‘no,’ none of the development in this town would have happened and we wouldn't have progressed and evolved as a town. Nobody likes change and I understand that.”

Clements noted that he would be open to preserving or reusing the 1940 church building but said it would not be suitable for 55+ housing.

“If there’s an opportunity for us to create almost two different developments, we’re willing to look at it. It’s a very costly endeavor to try and repurpose a specifically built property. But if there’s a want and a desire and a benefit, we’re certainly open to that,” Clements said.

Why did St. Thomas More Church close?

The decision to close St. Thomas More Church was made because the building was no longer needed to meet the spiritual needs of local Catholics, a spokesman for the Boston archdiocese said.

For the past nine years, the church has been part of a collaborative with Sacred Heart Church in Weymouth Landing. The collaborative has taken on the new name of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, said Terrence Donilon, a spokesman for the archdiocese.

In addition to the church, which has been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic more than three years ago, the parish's former elementary school will also be torn down. The school closed in 1970, and was later used for religious and special education programs but has been vacant for several years.

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Town Council approves St. Thomas More Church rezone