TOLEDO, Ohio — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo announced plans to tear down Sacred Heart Catholic Church last year and the One Voice for East Toledo community group is leading the effort to save the church, holding a series of meetings to find ways to save the church from being demolished.
Jane Wasserman has attended Sacred Heart for 73 years, her whole life. She said the church, which is more than 100 years old, has been transparent about the repair work it needs.
"We weren't shocked when they talked about closing, we were shocked when they talked about tearing (it) down," she said. "That really surprised a lot of us because we didn't expect it to be that extreme."
At the One Voice meeting Thursday night, it was announced CJ Estel, a real estate investor in central Ohio, sent a letter to the Diocese of Toledo with an offer to buy the church.
In the letter, he said he grew up in Oregon and went to school at Sacred Heart.
"Due to it being in an opportunity zone, and possibly eligible for historic grants, I believe I can find the investments necessary to facilitate the large capital improvements that are required," Estel said in the letter.
The offer is still pending, according to One Voice.
Gary Lenhart a community builder with One Voice, said the community came up with 75 ideas of what the structure could be, including business, education and housing.
"We certainly understand why the diocese would be hesitant to allow this structure to stand when they allowed others and they're still sitting there. Unproductive," Lenhart said.
Back in 2018, the diocese was set to demolish St. Anthony Church, but it was saved and donated to the Lucas County Land Bank with help from Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
As of Thursday, one has bought the property from the bank. But, Adventus Climbing, a recreational climbing gym company, sent a letter of intent to buy in February 2023, according to the bank.
The Diocese of Toledo told WTOL 11 that if the demolition of Sacred Heart doesn't happen, they want the church to continue as a place for "divine worship."
The diocese said it gave the east Toledo community until Jan. 15 to propose an alternative use for the church. Lenhart said that is not enough time.
"We're sort of in a fork in the road, where we have to go left or right," he said. "We don't know what that decision is until the diocese agrees to take a pause so that we can regroup and make a plan to see what's possible at Sacred Heart."
Multiple political leaders were at One Voice's meeting Thursday to show support, including Toledo City Council members John Hobbs III, George Sarantou and Theresa Gadus, who represents District 3, which Sacred Heart resides in. Former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner was also in attendance.
Gadus said she's looking to bring a moratorium resolution to council to pause the demolition.
The last service at the church is Saturday at 4 p.m.