Syracuse, NY — A retreat center on Syracuse’s East Side with two chapels, a dining room that serves 80 people, 49 overnight guest rooms and 18 gardens spread across six acres will soon be up for sale.
The Diocese of Syracuse last week announced plans to close its Christ the King Retreat House on Brookford Road, citing financial reasons. The demand for retreat services has decreased in recent years, and the facility that dates back to the late 1920s needs considerable work. In addition, staffing has been challenging.
“The Diocese of Syracuse is committed to responsible fiscal management,” Bishop Douglas J. Lucia wrote in a letter posted at the retreat’s website. “Closing the house retreat allows us to allocate resources more effectively toward core ministries throughout our community.”
The diocese has operated the retreat center since 1994, when it purchased the property for $1 from the Jesuits of Le Moyne College. The property was originally built for $100,000 by the Lipe family, and at the time of completion it was the largest private residence in Syracuse.
The Lipe family sold the site in 1944 for $45,000 to the Jesuits, who started its use as a retreat. The Rev. Robert F. Grewen was its first director. He served as Le Moyne’s president from 1954 to 1961. The facility expanded with sleeping wings and a pool in 1985.
The diocese will officially close the retreat center at the end of June. It plans to sell the property but has not yet listed it. According to Onondaga County real estate records, the site’s full market value is $1.8 million.
City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at [email protected](315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook.
