St. Mary Church puts Stonington rectory up for sale for almost $2.5 million
Stonington — St. Mary Church in the borough has put its rectory up for sale for $2,490,000.
The more than 4,000-square-foot home, at 95 Main St., is across the street from the church, which is part of the same parish with St. Michael Church in Pawcatuck, and Saint Thomas More Church in North Stonington.
Rev. Dennis Perkins, the church's pastor, explained Tuesday that the parish finance council recommended the rectory be sold as it discussed how to manage the resources of the church to best meet its mission. Perkins, who said he agreed with the council's assessment, said the plan is to use the proceeds of the eventual sale to replace the roof and elevator at St. Mary, create a contingency fund for future expenses and possibly start an endowment fund.
Perkins lives in the rectory at St. Michael, where the parish offices are located for all three churches. He added a benefit for the town and borough is that once the rectory is sold, the two municipalities will receive annual property tax revenue from it. Religious institutions are tax exempt.
The parishes that comprise the Diocese of Norwich, including St. Michael, are individual corporations separate from the diocese and so their property is not owned by the diocese.
According to the listing for the property, the house has 11 rooms, including four bedrooms and four bathrooms, with a detached two-car garage. The house has three marble fireplaces and a cupola on the fourth floor that offers views of the borough and Stonington Harbor. Built in 1850, the house sits on one acre of land, which possibly could be subdivided.
Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties is listing the rectory for sale.
"The elegant formal living room on the east side of the house shows off 10-foot ceilings with Crown moldings, floor to ceiling windows, a marble fireplace with a massive gilt mirror above and beautiful original wood mid width floors throughout," the listing reads. "There is a large remodeled eat-in kitchen with handicap ramp leading to the back door."
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
