By Josh Bickford

Barrington will pay about a half-million dollars to demolish the former Carmelite monastery building.

On Monday night, Sept. 8, members of the Barrington Town Council voted 5-0 to accept a bid from Johnston-based A.A. Asbestos Abatement Co. for $488,000 to conduct the asbestos abatement and demolition of the former monastery. The bid included a 10 percent contingency, which pushes the total cost to $536,800.

Removal of the building will make way for a new housing development in the Watson Avenue neighborhood. The town sold a portion of the property to a developer who will construct a “pocket neighborhood” — a dozen smaller cottage-style homes. Barrington will divide the remaining property into a small public space and six single-family house lots. The sale of those hous

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