Century-old Carnegie library to be converted into boutique hotel

 

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. --The old St. Joseph Public Library building on Main Street has not been an active library since 1966.

With the help of the building’s new owners, Shannon Kutchek and John Kenna, the more than 100-year-old space will be converted into a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel.

Kutchek and Kenna will prioritize retaining the library’s classic charm, while also adding a modern trendy feel for guests to enjoy.

The hotel will feature six rooms, a rooftop deck, outdoor patio and a speakeasy in the basement.

It’ll also eventually be made available as an event space.

City officials are backing the project by providing a specialized tax abatement that freezes the property’s tax value for more than a decade. That means the owners will only pay the current tax value instead of the rates it would normally grow to over the course of 10+ years.

Kutchek and Kenna hope to have the hotel open by the end of next summer.