Since built in 1888 St. Mary's Glebe House has been used continuously as a priest's residence and for some tome as a boys' school. Standing adjacent to St. Mary's Basilica Cathedral, the house has seen minor renovations through the years, but the time finally came when major renovations, particularly to its plumbing and electrical systems, became necessary. In 2010 the diocese took the plunge and allotted $2.3 million to accomplish the necessary upgrades.
CBC News alertly caught wind of the impending work and reported the story on August 31 of that year. The report is reproduced in part below.
$2.3M reno for Catholic Glebe House in Halifax
Upgrade comes as Antigonish diocese sells property
to pay for sex-abuse settlement
CBC News Posted: Aug 31, 2010 4:27 PM AT
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax, N.S., is spending $2.3 million to renovate Glebe House so it can house Archbishop Anthony Mancini and other priests.
Some have criticized the expense given that the Roman Catholic diocese of Antigonish, N.S., must sell some of its properties to raise $15 million for a settlement with victims of sexual abuse by priests, but Rev. Paul Morris, the rector of nearby St. Mary's Basilica, defended it.
"Antigonish is a separate diocese," he said. "It is also a separate legal corporation. I, as the rector here, am trying to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to me."
The large church property on Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street was built for basilica priests in 1891. The archbishop lived in a home on Dresden Row from 1891 and then a house near the south end Waegwoltic Club from about 1931.
Mancini, who became the archbishop of Halifax in 2007, had the south end home sold for about $750,000 two years ago, and the church put the money into renovating Glebe House.
The stately Victorian brick building, complete with turrets and dormers, will eventually house Mancini, priests who work at the cathedral and the rector of the cathedral.
From CBC News