Country music star and Grammy-winner Zach Bryan purchased a historic former church in Massachusetts to help revive a project to create a new facility honoring the legacy of "On the Road" author Jack Kerouac. Kerouac, who was born in Lowell, once served as an altar boy at the former Saint Jean Baptiste Church and his funeral Mass was held there in 1969. Now, the Jack Kerouac Estate said the building will be converted into a center featuring exhibits, live music, public readings and other community events. According to the estate, work on the project was announced in 2022 but stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic and funding issues. The estate said Bryan's involvement in the project will be crucial for bringing the project to fruition. “Zach reached out in October, and right from the start, it was clear he shared our passion for honoring Jack’s legacy while also creating a dynamic, creative space. He stepped up and delivered in a big way, showing incredible generosity," said Sylvia Cunha, of the Jack Kerouac Estate. According to the estate, the first hurdle will be bringing the 20,439-square-foot building up to code. Our immediate focus is to bring the building up to code so we can start using the space for music and other events while forming new partnerships to help us bring this vision to life and ensure its lasting success.” The church was constructed in 1890 and served the burgeoning French-Canadian community in Lowell at that time. Bryan purchased the property from TMI Property Management and Development, which bought it from the Archdiocese of Boston in 2006. The Jack Kerouac Foundation was formed in early 2022 with the mission of creating a museum and facility honoring his legacy. Bryan, originally from Oklahoma, has one Grammy win and four nominations under his belt. Last year, he was named Billboard's Top New Artist. Top Headlines Robert Prevost elected the first American pope in history Parkinson’s disease prevention may ‘begin at the dinner table’ Man found in Arcadia Lake remembered as longtime Guthrie educator Suspect arrested after police use TVI maneuver to end chase in northwest OKC neighborhood Trump agrees to cut tariffs on UK autos, steel and aluminum in new trade deal