The Lighthouse Inn in Point Judith has greeted Block Islanders as they exit the ferry for decades. Unfortunately, it has also become an eyesore in recent years.The Lighthouse Inn, formerly the Dutch Inn, has been closed since 2015. The land is owned by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and is leased to PRI X. PRI X is a partnership between the Procaccianti Group, of Champlin’s Marina fame, and Paolino Properties. PRI X has continued to operate the parking lot while the hotel is closed.
DEM issued a request for proposals to develop and rejuvenate the property back in September, with bids received in November. There are three proposals, with The Independent newspaper reporting that DEM and PRI X will have the final say in what proposal is accepted.As the lease holder, PRI X has proposed demolishing the back part of the structure, bringing the number of parking spaces to 500. Currently there are about 300 parking spaces behind the hotel. The front of the building would be extensively rehabbed and divided into mixed-use retail spaces. PRI X also proposes building a new “boutique” hotel, if it can secure a 99-year lease with DEM.The town of Narragansett
