Ojai : City to Explore Purchasing Chapel
Encouraged by recent property appraisals, the Ojai City Council has decided to pursue a plan to buy the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel in downtown Ojai.
The plan for relocating the Ojai Valley Museum and Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce into the picturesque chapel has strong community support, city officials said.
But the council decided Tuesday not to make an offer on the chapel until the city determines how much it will cost to bring it up to earthquake safety standards. An estimate is expected next month.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles wants to sell the old chapel to build a new parish hall. The chapel, distinguished by its bell tower and arched entryway, was built in 1919 at 130 W. Ojai Ave.
The city would need to sell both the museum and chamber buildings to buy the church property, officials said. The chapel and grounds are appraised at $500,000, about the same as the chamber and museum properties combined.
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