KENNEBUNK, Maine — A major transformation of the Franciscan Guest House into the Canticle Hotel at the Saint Anthony Monastery on Beach Avenue is a go.
The Society of Franciscan Fathers of Greene, Maine, which owns the property, recently cleared the town’s site plan review process for the project. After a public hearing and discussion on Aug. 15, the town’s Site Plan Review Board unanimously approved the proposed plan.
The plans call for renovating the interior and exterior of the Guest House, relocating guest rooms, modernizing facilities, updating the façade, expanding parking, and upgrading utilities.
The new name for the lodging will be the Canticle Hotel.
Father Algirdas Malakauskis, the vicar and treasurer of the monastery, told the Site Plan Review Board on Aug. 15 that the revamped hotel will help The Society of Franciscan Fathers continue its mission.
“The guest house operation, hotel, and restaurant will provide the necessary support for our presence and our ministry of the friars,” he said.
Canticle Hotel gains approval despite concerns, conflict of interest
Site Plan Review Board member Albert Kolff recused himself from the discussion and vote on the project after his colleagues on the board unanimously agreed he should do so.
Architect Robert Metcalfe of Mitchell & Associates in Portland set the recusal in motion. Speaking on behalf of the Canticle Hotel, Metcalfe alleged Kolff created a conflict of interest for himself when he stepped outside the board’s purview and attempted to change an aspect of the project.
Metcalfe charged Kolff had said his vote on the project hinged on whether the applicant made the change he sought.
The board agreed a conflict of interest had been created as well as a risk of appearance of bias. After the vote called for his recusal, Kolff left the meeting.
During the public hearing, residents expressed concerns ranging from the cost of the project to whether events such as weddings would be held at the renovated and revamped site.
‘Rare opportunity’:York Beach Surf Club, Sea Latch Inn faces foreclosure auction
What’s planned for Franciscan Guest House makeover?
The site is an 8-acre parcel separated from the larger monastery parcel back in 2001. Originally, the main guest house was a school, which had a gymnasium added to it in the 1960s.
Currently, the Guest House is comprised of three structures: the main Guest House, a brick building with 35 rooms; the White House, a one-story, wood-frame structure with 8 rooms; and the Tudor House, a two-story building that fronts 29 Beach Avenue and has 22 rooms.
The project calls for the White House to be demolished, with its 8 rooms transferred to the main guest house, according to town documents.
Also, as part of the plan, the Tudor House will be renovated to have 12 rooms, and the remaining 10 rooms will be relocated to the main guest house.
The project also involves creating a partial second floor in part of the main guest house wing where the gym once existed. This wing will become the new main entry for the hotel, complete with a new lobby, a check-in area, a restaurant, and two small meeting rooms, according to town documents.
In July, Metcalfe told the board the renovations at the Tudor House would be the second phase of the project so that the facility can remain open with all of its 22 rooms while work is being done on the main structure.
Currently, there is a restaurant at the site licensed for up to 150 guests. The proposed new restaurant will provide for up to 91 guests but would be able to be modified in the future.
The swimming pool currently at the site will remain.
A 950-square-foot garage on the property would be removed and a woodshed would be relocated to the principal monastery parcel, according to town documents. The upper and lower parking lots on the property will have more spaces once the project is complete.
The project will not impact resources along the Kennebunk River, according to town documents. An extensive trail system on the monastery property will provide recreational access for guests.
link