"These deals are going to take some work," Mike Harkins,president of Harkins Real Estate, who is representing two Lowellchurches, tells GlobeSt.com. "You're going to have to approach thecity and see what you can do. There's a lot of homework to be doneto figure out what's the best use for these sites."

Because the church properties are located in so manycommunities, and more importantly in so many zoning districts, itis difficult to draw a definitive developer profile, but there hasbeen strong interest. "A lot of people have said 'I can't wait tosee [those properties] hit the market,'" says Harkins, "Developersare looking forward to the challenge of what to do with them."

"We've had previous interest in a general way," notes Jim Belli,principal at the Codman Co., which is listing properties in EastBoston, Salem, Malden and Hyde Park, "but like any sale, you'regoing to be constricted by the zoning."