Chantilly community prepares for changes after homebuilder plans to purchase old church

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church has been many things to the Chantilly community over the years.

It has been a church, first and foremost, and then a Catholic school.

Now, called Chantilly Hall, a meeting space and neighborhood dance hall.

"I think it's an important part of the neighborhood and what kind of keeps this neighborhood close knit. To have a hall where everybody can gather," neighbor Matt Thompson said.

On Tuesday, the Chantilly neighborhood association forwarded a letter to residents from Grandfather Homes.

The home builder stated it is in the process of purchasing the property at Shenandoah Avenue and the plaza from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.

The letter did not provide any specifics about a project, but the home builder stated it is in the process of exploring a variety of options.

Neighbors are bracing for bad news.

"I think the community would be very upset if a builder was to come was to come in here and tear this down and put up condos or houses up," neighbor Brian Marquis said.

For this old church to be turned into homes or even condos, it would have to be rezoned.

If you look around the neighborhood, you can see the property is surrounded by nothing but single family homes.

People hope what ever gets built here, it will preserve the character of the neighborhood.

"I think that a lot of people are going to get their feathers ruffled and you know but it's, this is America, right?" Marquis said.

Eyewitness News reporter Blaine Tolison contacted the owner of Grandfather Homes.

He said that he didn't want to comment.

Right now, the neighborhood association is gathering information to present to residents at its meeting in two weeks.

"[I want to learn] what their plans are and if their plans are not what the community wants, if there's anything we can do to alter that," Thompson said.

Cox Media Group