NEMASKET WEEK
Developer plans to turn School Street church into apartment complex
Patrick Brady wants to turn the Central Union Methodist Church, which closed in 2025, into a 41-unit apartment building. Photo by Christian Uva
MIDDLEBORO — A former house of God may become a home for 41 people.
A Middleboro developer is hoping to convert a Methodist church building into an apartment complex with exclusively studio apartments.
The planned project would include installing 41 studio apartment units into the former Central United Methodist Church at 10 School St. and razing the single-family home at the neighboring 16 School St. The three-family home at 22 School St. would remain.
Patrick Brady of Nemasket Capital Partners said he wanted to renovate the church instead of replacing it to keep the feel of School Street.
“Some buildings make a downtown what it is,” Brady said. “Tearing it down and building new would be a lot easier, but this church is part of what School Street looks like.”
Three floors of studio apartments, most of which would be 339 square feet, would be installed.
Brady said the building would be targeted at people working in and around Middleboro Center. He said there was a high demand for studio apartments that “can rent at a price that a working person can afford.”
He also said he did “not want to put a tax on the school system” by bringing apartments targeted at families to town.
The church building’s steeple would be removed during renovation of the facade. Brady described it as a liability for insurance. He said that the steeple would possibly be placed on the lawn to “pay homage” to it.
He noted that the church did not have the steeple before 1860, and that he was trying to recreate the facade’s pre-1860 appearance.
Brady is asking the Zoning Board of Appeals for a zoning variance, since the property sits in a business district and is not zoned for residential buildings. He also said he is working with the Historical Commission and needs a site plan review before he can get approval from the town.
He hopes to begin construction after finalizing the land purchase in June 2027 and beginning construction soon after. He’s hoping to open the new apartment building in January 2029.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a hearing for this project at a future meeting.
Middleboro early voting numbers higher than normal, Lakeville’s about the same
More Middleboro voters have headed to the polls early for the 2026 election than for previous midterms.
Through the first four days of early voting, 594 voters had cast their ballots in person and 1,493 mail ballots had already been returned to the Clerk’s Office, according to Middleboro Election Director Tayla Bennett.
Bennett said that the town clerks have been “busy” during this midterm election compared to previous ones.
In 2022, the most recent midterm election, 856 people voted in person. The town also mailed out 2,856 ballots, compared to 3,547 for the 2026 midterm elections.
Lakeville has seen around “the same” numbers as previous midterms, according to Town Clerk and Chief Elections Officer Lillian Drane. She said that 340 people had voted in person as of the time polls closed on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Out of the 1,845 people who requested mail-in ballots, 821 have returned them so far.
In the 2022 midterms, 671 Lakeville residents voted early and 1,945 submitted their ballots early.
Early voting will continue through Friday, Oct. 30 in Middleboro and Lakeville.
As of Thursday, Oct. 22, there are 21,175 registered voters in Middleboro and 10,529 registered voters in Lakeville, although this number will change. Residents can still register to vote in both towns until Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. You can register online atsec.state.ma.us/OVR/. To check your voter registration status, go tosec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx.
To learn more about the 2026 midterm elections, visit nemasket.theweektoday.com/article/voters-hit-polls-election-day-approaches/160030.
Middleboro rally promotes early voting
Protestors made their feelings known. Photos by Sandy Quadros Bowles
MIDDLEBORO -- Members of Indivisible Middleboro made some noise Saturday, Oct. 17 at routes 28 and 105 in Middleboro.
The group cheered and carried signs with a range of political messages, including “Hands Off Our Vote,’’ “Release the Epstein Files’’ and “Vote for Kindness.’’
Their messages were met in many cases by car horns honking in support.
“It’s been for the most part positive,’’ said Christina Hughes, co-founder of Indivisible Middleboro, said of the response to the hour-long morning rally.
The rally was one of many “No Kings’’ protests held that day throughout the country
Many signs at the Middleboro event urged residents to vote early. That was a major message behind the rally, Hughes said.
By voting early, there is less chance of “shenanigans going on,’’ Hughes said.
She said Indivisible Middleboro consists of a community that supports each other and the importance of democracy.
“Democracy works best when every voice is heard,’’ she said of her group’s message. “Democracy works best when every person is treated with dignity.’’
She said the 100 or so people in attendance were there “protecting our neighbors and supporting our community.’’
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