Owner applies for permit to demolish historic Belton Court manor in Barrington

BARRINGTON — The owner of the historic Belton Court mansion has applied to demolish the deteriorating buildings on the 37-acre property.

While the demolition permit has not been granted, there is little Barrington can do to prevent issuing the demolition permit once all the requirements are met, including such items as a plan to dispose of asbestos.

Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey said the mansion, once occupied by the Zion Bible College, was the centerpiece of the town's 2016 master plan, as well as zoning rules passed specifically for the property that would allow it to become age-restricted housing. He is trying to set up a meeting with the project's managers to discuss the demolition, but no date has been set.

"We cannot prevent the teardown," Hervey said. "If it meets the technical requirements, I don't see any way to not issue it at a certain point."

The property has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. It was once an 800-acre estate, the country house of Frederick Peck and designed by the Providence architecture firm Martin & Hall.

The property, at 27 Middle Highway, is owned by Chinese investor Mi Guangchun and Shineharmony Holdings Inc., who bought it at a public auction in 2011 for $3.85 million after town officials backed out of a plan to purchase it from the Zion Bible Institute for $5.2 million.

Deteriorating in limbo: No clear direction for former Zion Bible Institute campus as building continues to decay

Barrington College occupied the campus in the 1950s until it was bought in 1985 by the Zion Bible Institute, which vacated the property in 2007.

Just being on the historic register doesn't give the buildings any protection, and Barrington does not have the additional historic districts required to prevent demolition.

According to the demolition permit application, the estimated cost of razing is $675,000.

Owner finds plans for mansion revamp and senior housing too costly

The last action taken on the project was in July, when the Planning Board approved a six-month extension of approved plans to turn the sprawling campus into an age-restricted residential complex. The attorney representing the project, William Landry, said during that meeting there might be someone interested in buying the property and completing the plans for senior housing.

The current owner, Shineharmony and Guangchun, will not build the age-restricted housing project, which would involve renovating the manor.

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Renovating the property would cost an estimated $50 million, which is $40 million too much, Landry said. The company was drawing up new plans, not for senior living, but did not share what they were.

"As the extensions were recently granted, this was not something we expected," Hervey said. "This seems to be on their own initiative."

According to a memo by Planning Director Teresa Crean, the Messarlian and Union building and one small outbuilding have been demolished so far, while all the buildings on the property have been condemned. The Heroo Hall received a demolition permit in 2021 but hasn't been taken down.

Efforts to reach the owner and his representatives were unsuccessful.

See our past coverage of the Belton Court manor

July 25, 2022: No clear direction for former Zion Bible Institute campus as building continues to decay

Oct. 6, 2017: Return to limbo: Belton Court senior living no closer to resolution

Jan. 3, 2016: Town to take up zoning for senior living project at Belton Court

Nov. 2, 2015: Barrington sets tax-stabilization plan to developers of retirement community at former Zion Bible Institute

Oct. 22, 2015: Senior-living developer, town in tax deal talks over retirement community with nearly 300 units

Jan. 26, 2014: Belton Court towers over developments in Barrington’s Primrose Hill

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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Barrington's historic Belton Court mansion faces possible demolition