Local News Archive

Print Issue: March 21, 2002

Search For Land Continues For San Felipe Mission

By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer

GRANT PARK - After an eight month negotiation to purchase 2.5 acres about 100 yards away from the current site fell through Feb. 14, the administrator of San Felipe de Jesús Mission has taken over in leading the nearly 9-year-old search for property on which to construct a large church building.

Members of the San Felipe de Jesús Mission worship in the sweltering heat under the mission's open air shelter last July.

Archdiocesan officials had been negotiating since last summer with OA Development, Inc. of Atlanta to purchase the property adjacent to land being developed for the Department of Family and Children Services. The developer indicated that they would be able to use the parking lot being developed on the DFCS property, but over eight months into the negotiating game the agency told them that in applying for tax-exempt bond financing their underwriter told them "they didn't want any encumbrance on their property" such as a shared parking arrangement, said George Barrie, president of Catholic Construction Services who has been helping lead the property search for four years. "The developer that was selling the land to us initially indicated unlimited parking on the adjacent land after five o'clock in the evening on weekdays and on weekends," he said. "We thought we would always have access to the parking and without that we didn't want that location."

San Felipe administrator Father Jose Duvan Gonzalez, who is now leading the search, agreed with the decision. "If we didn't have a place for a parking lot we couldn't take it. We're looking for another space now."

The church, which is a mission of Sacred Heart Church downtown, has grown 200 percent in the last two years. Since 1992, the all-Spanish speaking congregation has held services at 402 McDonough Blvd., in a rented one-story, 2,700-square-foot brick building with five rooms and a chapel, while looking for a larger facility. In 1999 weekend Masses were moved outside due to lack of space. For each of three Masses celebrated every Sunday at San Felipe, 300-400 Latinos continue to worship outside, beneath an open-air shelter parishioners built themselves. In rain and cold, a blue tarp is hung on all sides except the back wall, which is made of metal. Many come to the Grant Park area directly from Mexico, staying with friends or relatives until they get their feet on the ground financially, and San Felipe offers the only Spanish Mass in the area.

A man stands among the congregation praying the Our Father during the 9:00 a.m. Mass at San Felipe de Jesús Mission, Grant Park.

Father Duvan is meeting weekly regarding the search with Archbishop John F. Donoghue, and representatives from his office, development, construction and finance departments. To take more control, the mission asked to be in charge of the search for a new building or property, and the archbishop approved it. Father Duvan said he's actively searching in the Grant Park area where it's important to stay and that the mission being in charge is "easier and quicker." "We have to continue looking" with determination and hope, he said, and the church is examining several locations, which he didn't wish to reveal prematurely.

The archdiocese has increased the amount allotted to their building project from $800,000 to $1 million which must not be repaid, and the mission has now raised an additional $120,000, giving San Felipe more search options. Once property is identified, Father Duvan believes he can raise more money within the Hispanic community. "Our Hispanic community, many pastors and Hispanics, they are ready to help us but we need to show any place, something, but we don't have anything to offer them (so) I can't start."

The archdiocese is still involved in the supporting the search. "I will inspect the property once they've got a deal on it. Even before that I'm looking at anything they're interested in (regarding) constructing or cost (issues). Finance is looking at it from the respect of financing it and development is looking at it from the perspective of raising money for it. Whatever property it is we're approaching it from those perspectives," said Barrie.

The Mission is taking money out of its allotted building fund to purchase a festival tent to replace its open air shelter as a temporary worship facility.

Father Duvan said that next week the mission, taking money from their allotted building fund, will buy a festival tent to erect as temporary worship facility to replace the existing open air shelter In December Barrie said that the archdiocese would build the Spanish mission in January or early February a temporary, engineer-designed outdoor shelter that could accommodate space heaters, but later learned that it would need a special use permit for that that would require a three or four month wait which wasn't worth it. And as the money for a temporary structure will come out of their allotted fund, a tent is cheaper. "They're going to put a large tent up to take the place of the canopy. It won't collapse or anything. We're concerned about the safety of the existing structure. This (tent) is less expensive," Barrie said. "Everybody hopes they'll be in a new building before the cold weather comes."