Church will move out of old Medina HS to a new building

ALBION – The Cavalry Tabernacle Church, which has owned the former Medina High School for the past 20 years, is looking to leave the site on 324 Catherine St. for a new building to be constructed on Maple Ridge Road.

The church would like to start construction on some of the site work this fall with the building to go up next year. Pastor Vince Iorio said the church would like to move in next fall, 2016. The congregation is still raising funds for the entire project.

Cavalry Tabernacle has the old school for sale for $150,000.

“We’re looking for buyers,” Iorio said after Thursday’s Orleans County Planning Board meeting.

The church wants to build a 9,306-square-foot building on Maple Ridge Road near Salt Works Road in the General Business District. The wood-framed structure would be on a 34-acre parcel. About 3 acres would be disturbed with the project, which would include a parking lot for 58 vehicles.

The church would have a stormwater retention pond on the property.

The Orleans County Planning Board voted for the project on Thursday and recommended Shelby officials OK the new construction. Shelby should require lighting for the project that would “minimize any ambient light pollution on neighboring residences,” county planners said.

Iorio said there are no immediate plans for much of the other vacant land owned by the church, but some of it could perhaps be used as ball fields in the future.