Sisters of St. Joseph to sell Washigngton Street convent
Apr. 23—WATERTOWN — The Sisters of St. Joseph will soon be moving from the home they've lived in for nearly 50 years.
The Sisters of St. Joseph have put the building at 1425 Washington St. up for sale. The sprawling 54,000-square-foot building and its 17 acres is listed for $4.75 million.
When the group took over the former orphanage in 1976, there were 236 Sisters. Today, 18 remain.
According to a press release, the Sisters aren't leaving Watertown. Recently, the remaining Sisters purchased property in the city, where they will live.
The Sisters have been part of Watertown since 1880.
The current Sisters decided "it was time to repurpose" their current home, so it would become an important asset for the community, they said in the press release.
"The transition is in the early stages and the timeline and details are yet to be determined," they said.
The move to a smaller home will be a return to the vision of their founder John Medaille, who wanted them to live in small homes in France in 1650, where they would be closer to do their work instructing children, overseeing orphanages and caring for the poor and sick.
The Washington Street building was constructed in 1960 as an orphanage. The structure was originally about 46,000 square feet but the "Vianney" addition was finished in 2010.
The two-story structure features several bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, a commercial kitchen, dining room, chapels, activity rooms and library.
Pyramid Brokerage Company, Watertown, is handling the marketing and sale of the property.
