Preliminary subdivision plan approved for old friary

The Planning Board approved a preliminary subdivision plan for a proposed luxury subdivision called “Maritime Haven” at the end of Robinwood Road at the board’s April 26 meeting.

The land, currently divided into three lots, is home to a friary and carriage house that includes several apartments. The company proposing the development, Rhode Island-based RESI, LLC, hopes to build seven homes on the property, which would be divided into seven lots.

Architect Dario DiMare, speaking for the project, said the owners originally planned to keep the friary as part of the final development, but doing so would be cost-prohibitive and aesthetically unattractive.

Because the neighborhood is in a velocity zone on the flood maps, the homes will be elevated on stilts.

The developers will go before the Historic Commission before demolishing the friary and carriage house. 

The group also plans to hold a public outreach meeting for abutters and those in the Robinwood Road neighborhood. 

The development was advertised in the March/April 2021 issue of Coastal Home Life, a publication that describes itself as “the leading luxury coastal lifestyle magazine in Southern New England.”

A two-page advertisement describes Maritime Haven as a “luxury waterfront community” boasting 300-degree water views and “amazing residential amenities” including walking trails and a private beach. The ad says the homes will feature four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and “smart home technology.” The houses will be designed and constructed by “HUS,” a company that describes itself as design-focused. 

The developers will go back before the Planning Board with a definitive subdivision plan at a future meeting.