A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 1 at the University of Maine for a $28 million project to renovate Coburn and Holmes halls, two of the oldest buildings on campus, both of which have been unoccupied for more than a decade, and develop them into boutique hotels. With the construction of a new 24,800-square-foot building adjacent to Holmes Hall, the three buildings will provide 95 hotel rooms and suites, and a bistro cafe.
In addition to preserving the historic structures, the rehabilitation project will provide UMaine and the surrounding communities with high-quality campus-based hospitality services to support events, outreach and community collaboration.