For about eighteen months a monumental restoration project has been underway at 500 Main Street in St. Joseph. The 1904 Carnegie Library is being transformed into a boutique, upscale hotel that will rival anything similar in the Midwest, perhaps the nation.
‘The Library, a Historic Hotel’ is the dream of Chicagoan Shannon Kutchek and her husband John Kenna. A dream that is being brought to life by incredible vision, hard work and well over a million dollars invested so far to bring the hotel to life. It’s expected to be unveiled in June, but no exact date has been determined.
Kutchek and Kenna, like many others from Chicago, have become big fans of Michigan’s Great Southwest. They own a home on Miami Road in Benton Harbor and purchased the old Library in 2024. Kutchek has been a successful realtor for 25 years and has restored several large, historic homes in the Chicago area. However, she had never done a commercial project before. She says she fell in love with the library and ‘just had to have it.’
The building for more than 40 years held the offices of prominent architect John Allegretti. Through that time, Allegretti made few changes to the original Library layout. Even the ‘stacks’ remained in place along the walls of the main floor rooms. So, when Shannon walked in, it seemed like a natural to ‘keep it a library’ that also happens to double as an upscale, special-occasion hotel. With that vision in mind, she set out designing it, room by room. Five rooms on the main level, one fully-accessible on the lower floor.
The Reading Room, The Stacks, The Librarian’s Room, The Children’s Room. Each has its own unique feel and subtle accent colors to set it apart. Original woodwork has been lovingly restored, and original wood flooring is beautifully intact, having been covered by cork for decades. Appropriate individually chosen bedroom furniture is being added as the finishing touches are put on the restoration. Reproductions of historic St. Joseph photographs have been framed and hung throughout.
The only significant layout changes have accommodated spacious, elegant en suite bathrooms with large walk-in showers—as you would expect in an upscale hotel. A sixth guestroom is located on the lower level, fully accessible via a power lift on the building’s south side parking lot entrance. The hotel will clearly cater to adults, with no special facilities or amenities for children or families.
The five guest rooms on the Main Level cluster around a small, welcoming central lobby, flooded with beautiful natural light from the restored skylight of the library. Original woodwork and a small decorative fireplace highlight the picture that greets guests as they enter from the main entrance, marked by the familiar columns at Main & Elm Streets.
Downstairs, guests will find a breakfast area and a cozy, speak-easy’ style wine and cocktail lounge, The Archive’. Shannon says ‘happy hour’ in early evenings will be the focus, with wine, craft beer and specialty cocktails featured. It won’t be a late-night place. She expects it to be open til about 9pm, perhaps a bit later in summer. The Archive will also be open to the public, with a separate entrance off Elm Street on the Lake side of the Library. Kutchek believes local people will find The Archive a unique spot in which to entertain their out-of-town guests before or after dinner at the several downtown St. Joseph restaurants.
A rooftop deck is being added to the building, catering to small private events (50 or less) by special arrangement, but otherwise limited to only hotel guests. The deck will offer a closer connection to the Lake and the wonder of spring, summer and fall in Southwest Michigan.
Kutchek does not see The Library as being ‘competition’ for hotels like The Boulevard or The Inn at Harbor Shores. Most of the hotel’s guests will probably be from out of town, people who often visit boutique hotels. However, she also believes locals will find it a unique escape destination for special occasions like milestone anniversaries. She also expects it to be a favorite for small group special events in the Archive Lounge, saying she has already received many inquiries from people who have heard bits and pieces about the plans.
Southwest Michigan’s prominence as a wedding destination also figures into the Library’s future. Kutchek envisions small bridal parties staying there, while their invited guests are accommodated at other hotels. Preliminary plans would make the entire hotel (all six guestrooms) available for a two-night stay for about $5000. Regular room rates will range from approximately $375 to $550 per room per night, based on season and demand. Breakfast is included.
While Shannon has been ‘Imagineering’ the new hotel, her husband John Kenna has been working with contractors as they replaced literally all the building’s plumbing, electrical and mechanical infrastructure, windows and roof. He said the building is essentially new from top to bottom behind the scenes, while, amazingly, retaining the original layout, woodwork, flooring and, most importantly, the ‘feel and look’ of the historic Carnegie Library.
A video walk-around with WSJM’s Andrew Green offers proof: LIBRARY
Kenna told us they plan to employ a combination House Manager/Head Bartender, a couple of other bar tenders as well as several servers for The Archive lounge and housekeeping staff for the hotel. Opening is planned for as soon after Memorial Day as possible.
Learn more at: https://www.thelibraryhistorichotel.com/
