Church to Sell Retreat Center in Lehigh Valley

A former retreat center on 452 acres overlooking the Lehigh River in Lehigh Township is being sold by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The Mary Immaculate Center at 300 Cherryville Road was originally built as a seminary by the Congregation of Missions of Saint Vincent de Paul in 1939. From 1991 to 2005 it served as the location for the spirituality year program for seminarians studying at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.

When the spirituality year program ended in 2005, the property served as a retreat center. The property has been underutilized in recent years, according to a press release from the Archdiocese.

This property is being marketed by Binswanger.

Over the last several months, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and its Real Estate Committee has evaluated its real estate holdings.

Earlier this summer, the Archdiocese took significant steps to reduce its expected operating deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. An operating deficit of at least $6 million is expected even before any extraordinary costs that may be incurred.  

Other church properties being sold are:

• Villa Saint Joseph by the Sea (114 S. Princeton Avenue; Ventnor, NJ)

Constructed in 1905, this property has served as a summer vacation home for retired priests of the Archdiocese since 1963. Due to the unique characteristics of this beachfront property, it will be sold via auction by Max Spann Real Estate and Auction Company. Further details regarding the auction will be made available by the Max Spann firm on Tuesday, Aug. 14.

• The Holy Family Center (227 N. 18th St., Philadelphia) and the Northern Portion of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center Parking Lot (N. 17th and Vine streets, Philadelphia)

The Holy Family Center is an approximately 20,000-square-foot former convent located in the parking lot of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center and serves as office space for various agencies of Catholic Social Services. The programs and employees will be relocated with no reduction in work force. The building, along with the parking lot adjacent to it, encompasses the length of Vine Street from 17th Street to 18th Street. This property will be marketed by HFF, L.P.