Streator church property sells for $150k

The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church property in Streator was sold for $150,000, according to a deed at the La Salle County Recorder's Office.

The deed said $10 consideration was "hand paid" by 1206 East Elm LLC, which is connected to the The Foreign Service (China) Group that bought the former Sherman School property. The full actual amount, however, was $150,000.

The church, rectory, hall and parking lot for Immaculate Conception, also known as St. Mary's, at the corner of Park and Kent streets, was sold in the deal. The deed breaks the property into six parcels, totaling 1.4 acres.

The church's finance committee developed the property's market value from an appraisal of the property and contrasted it with what it would cost to demolish the church, said Everett Solon, chairman of the committee. The offer was within range of the market value.

"There's a lot of memories on that corner," Solon said. "Those memories won't be forgotten."

The $150,000 amount is the same the Foreign Service (China) Group paid for Sherman School.

The Foreign Service (China) Group, which bought Sherman School to train students and teachers in English education, plans on restoring the church into a lecture hall, the rectory into student apartments and the parish hall into a multi-purpose space, according to Hong Yang, director of the Sherman School project.

Additionally, documents at the recorder's office show Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as Eagle church, on Route 18 west of Streator, sold for $1 in a quit claim deed to Carlos Castenada.

The Eagle rectory is expected to house offices for Cora Welding, Inc., of Streator, and the church for private devotional use, according to an announcement made by the St. Michael the Archangel parish.