St. Peter’s Rectory 1891 Building History This handsome 3 ½ story brick rectory for St. Peter’s Church was constructed in 1890-91 using an eclectic blend of stylistic elements including Italian Renaissance, Panel Brick, Queen Anne, and Colonial Revival. A principal focal point is the center bay on the front façade which projects slightly and has an impressive raised center entrance reached from two sides by sets of steps. Sheltering the entry is a finely carved portico with double Corinthian fluted columns. The brick building’s slate roof is capped by a wood cupola with carved fluted pilasters and a ball finial on top. The rectory was built adjacent to the now demolished St. Peter’s Church. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1892 and completed in 1900. St. Peter’s was originally founded in 1841 as the second oldest Roman Catholic church in Lowell. The original church was located at the corner of Gorham and Appleton Streets and was used from 1842 to 1890, when it was demolished. Lowell’s new federal post office was than built on the site of the original St. Peter’s with the building presently housing the juvenile court. The new St. Peter’s Church was monumental Gothic Revival structure designed by noted church architect Patrick Keeley. St. Peter’s Church closed in 1986 and a request for development proposals was issued in 1988 to include reuse of the church and rectory. Ultimately the church was demolished in 1996. Preservation and Reuse After the demolition of St. Peter’s Church, the Archdiocese rehabilitated the rectory to serve as the residence of the regional bishop, a function it served until just a few years ago. The building was purchased in 2004 by the James L. Cooney Agency and today continues to house commercial office users.