Catholic Diocese of Little Rock terminates lease with St. Joseph Center nonprofit, saying it will ‘carefully consider’ the property’s future – Arkansas Times

After the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock announced that it would tear down the historic St. Joseph Center in North Little Rock following a devastating fire in March, the church changed the lease terms of the beloved urban farm that has been managing the property for the last 15 years.

The March 19 fire engulfed the roof of the former orphanage building, sending charred debris from the upper floor onto the ground below. The diocese decided, after careful evaluation, that the structural damage from the fire was too great to mitigate, and that demolishing the building was their most prudent option. Bishop Anthony Taylor, who has led the Diocese since 2008, projected that rebuilding could cost over $20 million, without upgrades like air conditioning. While the huge 56,000-square-foot building was constructed to be an orphanage in 1910, it closed in 1978 and then became a daycare operated by nuns until 1997. Since 2010, a nonprofit called the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas has been managing the property under a 50-year lease signed with the diocese.

But, on July 7, three days after announcing that the orphanage would be demolished, St. Joseph Center announced on Facebook that due to the fire, their long-term lease with the diocese was terminated and they would be starting a month-to-month agreement.

In a statement to the Arkansas Times, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock said it would take time for them to “carefully consider” the future use of the St. Joseph property. When asked whether those plans might allow the St. Joseph Center nonprofit to continue managing the property, the spokesperson declined to elaborate.

In 2008, after the diocese contemplated selling the property, St. Joseph Center convinced the church to let them manage the land and do educational, arts, and agricultural programming on the property. They also agreed to take fiscal responsibility for the property.

Since then, the orphanage and the 63 acres of land it sits on in the heart of North Little Rock has become the hub of a growing urban farming community in Central Arkansas under the leadership of the “Growing Urban Farmers” program. Their programming includes a weekly farmers market, a farm stand, leasing garden plots to interested urban farmers, and hosting events like the Fat Cow 5k run around the property.

After the fire, St. Joseph Center raised over $100,000 for rebuilding their educational programming. The organization has recruited thousands of volunteers over the years to help with events, care for animals, aid urban farmers, and staff their farmstand.

Leadership of the St. Joseph Center said they are looking at many scenarios for continuing operation of the urban farm if the diocese decides to sell the land or rent it to another tenant.