The inn, which opened in 1879 as The Pequot House, was gutted last month by a fire that started in the first-floor kitchen and was deemed a “total loss” by the state fire marshal. No one was injured in the fire.
The circumstances of the fire are unknown. James P. Given, acting chief for the State Fire Marshal’s Office, told the Globe that investigators are still working on a final report. Fire Marshal Timothy McLaughlin said she had “no reason to believe it was arson” as arson dogs were inspecting the property the week of Aug. 22.
New Shoreham City Clerk Millie McGuinness said the building’s demolition is expected to be complete by the end of September, with only the foundation remaining.
Manafort Brothers, a construction company based in Connecticut, was hired to do the demolition work. Project manager Michael Daversa said demolition of a building of this size on the mainland typically takes about three to five days, but demolition of the Harborside Inn could take several weeks. Multiple ferry trips were required to bring the necessary equipment to the island, located nine miles south of the coast of Rhode Island.
“My crew is here full-time now,” D’Aversa said, noting the crew will be working 10 hours a day. “That’s the only way to properly complete this project.”
D’Aversa’s next hurdle was clearing the site of demolition debris, he said.
“We need to determine whether we can use the source on the island or whether we have to charter the debris and transport it to the mainland,” D’Aversa said.
Located on Water Street, the Harborside Inn was one of the first buildings Islander visitors saw when they stepped off the ferry. The property is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been welcoming visitors for more than a century as the Pequot House, Waukesha, and the infamous Royal Hotel, which was rumored to be a brothel.
A large crowd gathered Monday morning to witness the spectacle.
“This is the biggest thing on the island this year,” Amedeo Morfesi, who owns the nearby Chapel Suites, said as he stood outside his store’s door facing the inn. He said he has been visiting Block Island since 1959.
“This is a shame. I love Harborside,” said owner Aldo Leone. Aldo’s BakeryStanding outside the bakery wearing an apron, Leone offered several suggestions for what could replace the old inn. What we have now is not enough. Or maybe a public park. ”
Finnemore and her ex-husband, Michael Finnemore, said they plan to rebuild the inn. However, it is unclear when construction will begin.
D’Aversa said for safety reasons, “no one” was allowed into the building, including the business owners who operate retail stores on the ground floor. Some of these stores, including Wild Flowers Boutique, appear to still have much of their inventory in-store.
Wildflowers owner Jennifer Brady said she doesn’t know when or if the store will reopen. “It was really heartbreaking to see the fire completely destroy the entire building.”
Marty Milner, whose grandparents once owned the property and who has helped manage the Finnemore family, said he was able to salvage some historic items from the inn, including a phone booth in the lobby that allowed everyone to communicate. Told. The state of the room.
“My grandparents are probably rolling over in their graves right now, looking at that building and knowing it has to come down,” Milner said in a recent interview. “That was their home.”
This article has been updated with more information from the construction company.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com.follow her @alexagagosz And also on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.