Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Methodist Church in talks to sell the MAC to Montessori School

Back To Front Page

 

By KEVIN NEVERS

Chesterton Montessori School is seeking to purchase the Methodist Activity Center, at 135 Lincoln Ave., from the Chesterton First United Methodist Church (CFUMC).

CFUMC Senior Pastor Heather Foley told the Chesterton Tribune after deadline on Thursday that the new owner of the Montessori School, Haresh Prithyani, approached the church earlier this year to express an interest initially in renting the MAC.

CFUMC’s Board of Trustees subsequently entered discussions with Prithyani, Foley said, and at some point the focus of those talks moved from the rental of the MAC to the possible sale and purchase of the property. On April 8 the Church Leadership Council formally voted to pursue the sale of the MAC to the Montessori School.

Nothing has yet been finalized, Foley added, but the Montessori School’s use of the MAC would certainly be in keeping with one of the historical missions of Methodism. “Education has definitely been a facet of what Methodism has always been about,” she said. “We’re hoping that whatever happens will be a win-win for our church, for the Montessori School, and for the community.”

According to the Montessori School’s website, Prithyani is hopeful of closing on the purchase of the MAC sometime early in May, after which renovations would begin on the building. “We will be transforming it into our new beautiful school,” the website said, with open houses to be held later this summer.

The MAC was the original home of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, which on moving to its new location, at 2050 W. 1100N, sold the property to CFUMC. It subsequently became the original home as well of the Duneland Unit of the Boys and Girls Club of Porter County, before it too moved to a new facility, at 521 W. 1100N. The MAC has also been used for youth group activities and other community events.

 

 

Posted 4/19/2019

 
 
 
 

 

 

Search This Site:

Custom Search