FALMOUTH – Officials in Falmouth have given the first phase of approval to a proposed new hotel and restaurant in Falmouth.
The Board of Selectmen voted last month to allow a hookup to the Falmouth sewer system. The Board had to grant a variance because the proposed site for the development at the corner of Scranton Avenue and Main Street is in Falmouth’s sewer district and would exceed the daily gallons of waste allowed under the towns policies.
The 100-seat restaurant and 78-room hotel is being proposed by Lafrance Hospitality, a Westport-based company.
The property is currently owned by the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, which said they received numerous inquiries from prospective buyers. The group selected Lafrance Hospitality to work with on a sale because they felt another hotel in the area would spur additional economic activity.
“We feel that the hotel, in this location, would be a great long-term benefit to the town, its businesses, and our neighborhood,” said Stephen Spitz, the Vice President of Cape Cod Five.
In their June 19 vote, selectmen cited the opportunity for economic development as the reason for granting the sewer variance.
Selectmen expressed the hope that part of the development could be used for affordable housing purposes, but Lafrance company attorney Robert Ament said there wouldn’t be a specific affordable housing piece as part of the proposed hotel property.
“This is not intended as an affordable housing project…what it really is is an appropriate redevelopment of a key location on Main Street in downtown,” Ament said.
Ament said that a financial contribution would be made to affordable housing efforts on Cape Cod, because the project would be subject to Cape Cod Commission approval due to its size.
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