St. Joseph’s High School: Classrooms to Bedrooms in the City of Lowell, MA

Brian K. Murphy

What brought you here today to the Open House?

I am very active in the community, particularly with regard to the Hamilton District Canal project.  I went to a meeting the other night where I met Suzanne Frechette, who’s very active with CBA.  She made me aware of what’s going on here at the school, so I thought it was important to become active in this as well.

I was a student of the school in 1976, 1977, and 1978, and there’s a lot of good memories that I have of the school.  I would like to think that there’s an opportunity to utilize the building and not leave it vacant.  We do need housing, whether it be for low income or elderly within the community, and I think this is a great project that they are considering funding in order to bring the building back—even better than it is now!  For this beautiful structure to be left vacant is obviously not its best use.  And, as I said, the community does have need for low income and elderly housing.

I support this project 100%!

This building has been part of the community for many many years.  To see it go away wouldn’t be such a good idea because it has had such a strong presence.  It should be brought back and used as housing.  Or used in another fashion other than leaving the building vacant, which obviously does nothing for the community.  It being unoccupied lends itself to vandalism and deterioration.

It’s a beautiful structure and I would hate to see it go by the wayside.

- Brian K. Murphy