Former Monastery In Barrington On The Market For $3.5M

BARRINGTON, RI — A former monastery in Barrington is now on the market for $3.5 million and could be bought by the town, reported WPRI.

The monastery, which was home to the Discalced Carmelite order from 1957 until last year, is located on a 7.16-acre property along Narraganset Bay in a neighborhood where nearby homes are worth over $1 million. The property has been owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence since at least 1894, according to the Barrington tax assessor’s online database.

Barrington Town Manager James Cunha told WPRI that the property is the biggest parcel of land to come on the market in five years and he hopes the town will be the buyer and transform the building into affordable or senior housing.

“In Barrington we do not have a lot of open space, and buildable space is very difficult to come by — especially spaces that are as attractive as that,” Cunha told WPRI.

Residents will have an opportunity to vote on financing the property at a meeting Wednesday night at Barrington High School.