Natrust CEO Alfred Galy is still not sure what he will do with the landmark Greyfriars Church of Scotland, which he has purchased for an undisclosed amount. “We are trying to get an interest in it and we are not sure what we will do with it as yet,” he told the T&T Guardian yesterday. The building, which is an historical landmark on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, dates back to the 1800s.
When asked about a real-estate agency that had listed the property on its Web site as being up for sale for $30 million, Galy said that was “an error.” The ad suggested that the church could be restored or demolished and replaced with a modern building. “We are not selling it now, but we are looking for feedback from the public as to what to do with it. No one has approached us on that as yet,” Galy said.
The church was briefly surveyed last year, but it has been eight years since the whole building was thoroughly evaluated. Last month, Galy told the Guardian it would take $10-$20 million to restore it, and if the Government wanted to offer financial assistance for restoration, he would be open to that. As to what the building might be used for if it was restored, he said, “A business maybe, I don’t know. We have a lot of ideas we are kicking around still. But it's not going to be cheap.”
Last month, Galy told the Guardian that he paid the “market price” for it and could also see himself developing it into apartments, retaining the original structure. “Port-of-Spain needs to bring more people in,” he pointed out.
In a press statement in August, the National Trust said: “Prior to its sale the National Trust through its member and technical adviser, the Historical Restoration Unit, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, advised the Town and Country Planning Division as to how this property should be managed as one of our built heritage monuments, in keeping with conservation guidelines.”
What the ad says
The ad posted online by Earth Real Estate Ltd on August 25 reads:
“SALE FREEHOLD! WOW A building with amazing history! Built in 1837 opposite to Woodford Square is an empty building formerly used as Greyfriars Church also known as Church of Scotland: this location has great potential! “You could restore the present beautiful structure into something a bit more magnificent or unfortunately demolish and rebuild a modern office building or shopping centre.
“To save you the headache of construction, the owner could develop the property in accordance to your specs and lease the building to you.”