Press release relating to purchase of #9 Hedgewood Lane | Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (ELCA) Manchester MO

Press release: The owners of #9 Hedgewood Lane approached Good Shepherd last summer and asked if we would be interested in purchasing their property. In December 2008, when the congregation met to approve the property purchase, the property/planning team and the Church Council clearly noted that the purchase of the property was for long-term growth, there were “no immediate plans for development of the property. Our intentions are to be a good neighbor and to keep up the property.”

As good stewards, we did what any prudent organization would do prior to the property’s purchase. We held preliminary discussions with our architects, our attorneys, and personnel from the City of Manchester as to what would be acceptable, practical, and legal future uses of the property. Those discussions did include whether it would be feasible to convert the land for parking sometime in the future. However, Good Shepherd’s only current plans are to make needed renovations to the property, hire an experienced management company, and lease the property for occupancy by a family who will be a good neighbor to the residents of Hedgewood Lane.

In the future, if we explore using the property in an alternate way, it would occur only after thorough consultation with both the City of Manchester and our neighbors. We want to continue to address the concerns of our neighbors on Hedgewood Lane as to appropriate usage, landscaping and access to the property.