The Franciscan Barn at St. Clare Convent:
Renovation, Renewal and Rebirth

Sister Arlene McGowan, SFP

The Barn at St. Clare has quite a history. This large two-story building, which was built in 1899, provided a home for the men who worked the farm for our Sisters. Use of the land changed with the times. In 1962, the area that housed the workers was renovated and it became a Guest House for out-of-town family and friends.

 In 1971 the Friars of St. John the Baptist Province asked to use the 'Guest House' as their House of Prayer. The Barn’s "living area" was renovated again. Then the next year the Friars found a larger space on their own grounds. The Barn was not empty for long. In 1973 another group used the space for a drug abuse prevention program. Sr. Ann Cecile acted as the SFP liaison. When this program ended, the Barn became a garage and storage area. In the 1990s it fell upon hard times and the exterior was in disrepair. By 2008 the Barn was becoming an eyesore.

Stewards of the Earth: Renovation
How does an old, structurally sound building become an environmentally friendly, multi-purpose building? The first step was to empty out the building, call in the experts, conduct an inspection and feasibility assessment and build a team to realize the dream! From the beginning, our 'dream team' insisted that the building had to be as green as possible, which certainly added life to our discussions with an architectural firm that specializes in restoring historic structures. While plans for the building’s new life were being developed, we sought and were granted zoning approval. The barn was inspected for structural integrity, and needed repairs were undertaken.

The new Barn, which will be officially called: the Franciscan Barn, will be energy-efficient. It is estimated that 20% of energy costs come from heat loss in the attic and basement. The roof, portions of the exterior walls and crawl spaces will be thoroughly insulated with environmentally friendly materials wherever possible. The structure will retain its historic appearance. Heating and cooling account for about 70 % of the building’s energy use. So the heating, ventilation and air conditioning will include a geo-thermal heat exchanging system. Geo-thermal power is cost-effective, reliable and environmentally friendly.   

Bricks removed during demolition will be recycled and reused to replace damaged brick elsewhere on the exterior of the barn. Tuck pointing of the mortar joints will be performed where there is weathering or water damage. If additional bricks are required, they will be the same color and will closely match the existing brick. The interior of the building will be restored to accommodate the new uses, but great efforts will be taken to retain the original character of the barn.

The Programs: Renewal and Rebirth
The Franciscan Barn will be put to many new uses, the first for the Franciscan Community Gardens, managed by the Director of Young Adult Services, Rose Aleman and the Building / Site Manager, Sr. Ann Cecile. The gardens are already plotted out!

First Floor
In addition to our beautiful Chapel at St. Clare's, the Franciscan Barn will have a small and beautiful Worship Area located in thespace set aside for Wholistic Modalities. It will accommodate 50 people in the main worship area. For smaller groups there is another worship space across from the larger worship area.

In the west wing will be a suite with two treatment rooms for Wholistic Modalities and  a room for Spiritual Direction, mentoring or private conferences.

There will be a large area for Young Adult Services and Ministries. The room will have comfortable seating, a small kitchenette area, wireless capability for laptop computers, and a large screen TV with DVD and VCR.

The office space for the Director of Franciscans for the Poor, a Sponsored Ministry, will be located near the main entrance. The office areas include the Franciscan Barn Manager’s office and secretarial support for the programs. There will also be a laundry facility and a staff break room.

The central atrium can be used for small groups, art displays, book signings, etc. A large veranda located in the rear of the building will be available for large and small groups. In addition to an attractive open stairway to the second floor, there will be an elevator.

Second Floor
The large Meeting Space will accommodate about 200 people. The room can be set for rowed seating or round tables and chairs or other combinations. It will include a sound system, portable stage and projector equipment. The Sisters will use this space as desired for assemblies and meetings. There is also a smaller meeting room, and a service area for catering. Along the hallway there are restrooms and storage spaces.

© Franciscan Sisters of the Poor

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