A spokesman for CVS Pharmacy says the company does not currently have plans to locate a store at the site of an aging church in North Adams, Massachusetts.
In an email to WAMC, Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for CVS says while the company is exploring opportunities to relocate its current North Adams store, it is not pursuing a store location at the St. Francis Church property. Built in 1863, St. Francis is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the city, but has been vacant and on the market since 2009 after the congregation merged with St. Anthony to become St. Elizabeth. Kurt Kolok is part of the group Save St. Francis working to prevent the church’s demolition. He says he understands the need for the St. Elizabeth parish to relieve itself of the tax burden the church poses.
“We’re doing everything we can to continue working on a plan for reuse,” Kolok said.
St. Elizabeth continues to pay $30,000 in property taxes annually for St. Francis, according to Reverend William Cyr.
