How would you like to own your very own cemetery? Actually, the 2 acre eternal resting place for hundreds of dearly departed is just a bonus feature to one of the more unique real estate listings in Delaware County.
The former Old Union Methodist Church that sits near the corner of Brookhaven and Rose Valley Roads in Nether Providence Township is up for sale. What’s next for the property is anyones guess.
Membership of the historic church dwindled over the years and theand the owners the Eastern Conference of the United Methodist Church decided to put it up for sale. The 4.7 acre property is very unique in a few ways. First, the church property includes a cemetery, an attached nursery school, a cell phone tower and and adjacent lot used by the Local Boy Scout Troop 273 for Christmas trees every year. A 4 bedroom house that also sits on the property has recently been sold as a separate transaction.
Old Union is believed to be the second established churches in Delaware County. Founded in 1813, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s still a gem with old wooden pews, hand painted murals and original stained glass.
The cemetery may be the most interesting piece of the property. Don’t worry, the new owner won’t have to dig graves. The operation and perpetual maintenance of the site is paid for by “very healthy” trust fund says listing agent Cathy Linck of Berkshire Hathaway Realtors. The burial ground is a museum itself. Even US Congressman E. Wallace Chadwick is buried there and some of the hundreds of headstones date back to the Revolutionary war era. For local teenagers it may be historic for another reason. The cemetery was known for secret beer party’s in the 90’s. (so I’m told).
Right now a nursery school rents space from the church and AT&T pays $1500 a month in rental space for a cell tower on the property. So the new owner already has immediate revenue generators. So are you interested?
The church property is listed at $475,000. It sounds like a good deal. Actually it sounds like a great deal for a highly desirable neighborhood. But here’s the rub. Unless the new owner is a church or non-profit, the real estate taxes would be astronomical.
The property has attracted a few prospective buyers but admits the property use is pretty limited because of current zoning. Because of it’s small the market for an old church is pretty limited. Nonetheless, if you have a half million bucks sitting around you can buy yourself some rich Delaware County history.
Click here to view the real estate listing.
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