A Former Kingdom Hall Bought for US$3 Million Will Become Antigua’s New Mental Health Institute

• Antigua and Barbuda’s government bought a former Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall at Sea View Farm
• The purchase price was US$3 million
• The building will become a behavioural health institute for short-term psychiatric care
• PAHO is advising on retrofitting the property

A former place of worship in Antigua is set for a new life in public health. The Antigua Observer reported on 23 January 2026 that the government had bought a former Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall at Sea View Farm for US$3 million, and would convert it into a modern behavioural health institute.

The facility will provide short-term psychiatric care and mental wellness support, while Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital focuses on long-term care. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) was to provide recommendations by early February to guide the structural retrofitting, with work expected to begin by the end of February. A new Mental Health Act was to be passed before the facility opens.

Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph said: “PAHO is the most experienced organization in the world… we are confident that they will guide us in establishing one of the most effective programmes as well as the design of the facility.”

The deal shows how religious buildings can find valuable second lives. Purpose-built halls with large floor areas and solid construction can be easier and cheaper to adapt than to build from scratch, and for a religious organisation that no longer needs a site, a government buyer can offer a clean, substantial sale.

For governments, buying a former church building can be a fast way to secure a large, well-located property for public services, provided it can be adapted to modern standards.

Jamaica has seen Jehovah’s Witnesses sell Kingdom Halls and assembly halls in recent years, and other denominations are consolidating congregations. The Antigua deal suggests a path for such buildings: rather than sitting empty or being sold piecemeal, they can be offered to government agencies or charities for health, education or community use. Church boards and diaspora members following these sales should watch that proceeds and future uses are transparent and serve the wider community.

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