Scientologists take over Patrie building

Local Scientologists, as we have mentioned, are movin' on out of their 15,000 square foot digs that they've occupied at Papineau and Mount Royal since 1978. The church, which has 200-300 regular members - has purchased the completely-gutted five story, 48,000 square foot, Patrie building on St. Catherine between St. Lawrence and St. Denis. It had belonged to UQAM which bought it for $1.8 million in April 2004. UQAM stripped it bare and the Scientologists have paid $4.25 million for it. The Scientologists had been raising funds for the venture for several years but had only gotten up to $500,000. The central church gave them most of the rest of the money, with a lot of other donors stepping up. The deal is that when they sell the old building they'll be giving those profits back to the central church, which, but the way, also organizes work crews for the renovation.
   According to Jean Lariviere, Public Affairs Director of the church, the new higher profile location should help attract members.
   A few Scientologists donated over $100,000 for the church, many being locals who moved away elsewhere. But as for whether John Travolta - who filmed his big Scientology epic here - or Tom Cruise who is filming here later this year, gave to the effort, remains to be determined.
   "If anybody from Hollywood gave money, well nobody told me," says Lariviere.
   Lariviere has never met Cruise and only saw him speak once at a conference in England. He says that church protocol doesn't usually see the big name Scientologists visit the churches in the various cities they visit. "Besides, we don't really have anything to show him because our current locale isn't spectacular, it isn't particularly pretty to see, we'd love to see him but from what I understand when they come to town they have things to do."
   The church is hoping to get the new building going by next summer or the end of 2008.