The Barrington Town Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. to discuss the Carmelite Monastery property financing. It is expected that there will be a public comment period during the Zoom meeting. (The link to the meeting is listed on the town's website.)

During the financial town meeting last Wednesday night, taxpayers asked what officials had planned for the seven-acre parcel on Watson Avenue.

Adelaide Avenue resident Deb Nyser asked “Is it senior housing? Is it affordable housing? I don’t see a plan.”

Barrington Town Council President Michael Carroll said the property may be used for both — senior housing, and affordable housing. 

Bev Migliore said she wanted to see the property preserved, adding that the town should put affordable housing in some other location.

David Butera said he lives near the property and thinks the town could keep the land as open space. He also said he likes the idea of developing elderly housing.

Elizabeth Grieser asked town officials about the language of the actual resolution to approve the “acquisition and preservation” of the monastery. She asked what specifically was being preserved.

Mr. Carroll said the monastery — the actual building that housed the Carmelite nuns since 1957 — was being preserved. He said the town would renovate the building’s interior. Barrington Solicitor Michael Ursillo said the resolution requires that the building remains — there are no specific requirements for the rest of the property, which overlooks Narragansett Bay and the town beach.

Joan Warren asked what significance the building held, and why the town feels compelled to preserve the monastery structure. Mr. Carroll spoke about his personal experiences with the monastery — how he and his mother used to go there and get Mass cards. He also said the building is part of the community.

The FTM audience appeared split on using the land for affordable housing. Some residents were convinced that affordable housing was the way to go, while others thought it was not a good idea for the town to get into the housing business.

Former town moderator Julia Califano said the cost to develop the property was too high (much more than just the $3.5 million to purchase the land). She said it was unaffordable for a developer and it would be unaffordable for the town as well. 

Mr. Carroll said there had been some discussion about the town partnering with a developer and eventually selling the property to the developer. In the past, the town has worked closely with the East Bay Community Development Corporation, which built the Sweetbriar and Palmer Pointe developments. 

Senior housing history

Longtime Barrington resident and former Barrington Town Council member Mary Alyce Gasbarro offered a historical look at senior housing in Barrington. 

She said developers had earlier tried to build senior housing in town only to find that there was not much of an appetite for it. She spoke about the Barrington Cove Apartments on Bay Spring Avenue, which offer affordable housing to seniors. She said many of the units remained unoccupied for months after the apartments opened, adding that they now host of number of people who were not previously Barrington residents, lending doubt to the theory that Barrington’s empty-nesters want to remain in town after they sell their homes.

Ms. Gasbarro said many Barrington empty-nesters move to developments in nearby Warren and Bristol, such as Oyster Point, Baggy Wrinkle Cove, and North Farm. 

Another resident spoke after Ms. Gasbarro, stating that she believes the Carmelite nuns would have loved to know that their monastery was going to be converted into elderly housing. 

A member of the town’s Committee on Appropriations, Bill DeWitt, offered the town council a different opinion regarding senior housing.

“If you want to keep seniors in town, stop raising their taxes,” he said.