A developer buys a 69-year-old vacant church in El Portal. Will its fate change?
After a $5.4 million sale, a developer has big plans for a 69-year-old vacant church in El Portal.
Sanctuary Village LLC bought the former Rader Memorial United Methodist Church at 205 NE 87th St., according to Alfredo Riascos, the listing agent and principal of Gridline Properties. The sellers Seth Gadinsky — a principal at the development firm Gadinsky Real Estate, LLC — and Samuel Soriero — a developer at Group 10 Capital Management, LLC sold the building on Friday.
The church’s new owner is looking to gut and convert the space into boutiques, eateries and offices, Riascos said.
Sanctuary Village LLC is registered under William Urban II, the director of finance for the property management firm Elm Spring Inc., according to Sunbiz.
The plans parallel those of Gadinsky and Soriero, who envisioned the building as a safe haven for Wynwood artists. Gadinsky and Soriero acquired the building for $3.2 million in 2016, according to property records.
Sitting on a two-acre site, the building housed a church and school for decades until it closed in 2007. The complex was built in 1952.
Before Gadinsky and Soriero, the building changed hands over the years, moving from the care of the Archdiocese of Miami in 2007 to the Haitian-American Christian Mount Olives Church in 2011.
“Nobody benefits from having such a beautiful and large property in the neighborhood sitting vacant,” Riascos said by email. “The transformation of this building into a mixed-use space will bring job opportunities, diverse dining options and an overall better sense of community to El Portal.”
The church is walking distance to local hot spots, including The Citadel and La Santa Taqueria. The up-and-coming area is gaining fame, in part due to its proximity to the trendy neighborhoods of Little River and Little Haiti.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 11:30 AM.
