NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – One of New Bern’s historic downtown properties is on the market – again.

The Elks Temple building is at the corner of 301 Middle Street and Pollock Street and is one of the tallest buildings in the downtown area.

The building’s current owner, New Bern Historic LLC purchased the property as well as a .315-acre vacant lot in the same block on Hancock Street in January of 2022 for $2.25 million. The company, which is a subsidiary of the Kessler Collection based in Orlando, Florida, announced at the time that it planned to develop the property into a boutique hotel.

According to an April 25, 2022, post on the company’s website, the project was to scheduled start in 2023, and the property was to include a 50-room hotel, 1,500 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, an intimate speakeasy on the lower level and a specialty coffee shop and restaurant on the street level.

Work began on the project but was halted due to increasing construction costs, according to a November 2023 statement by Kessler.

The property is listed by Raleigh based Trademark Properties, a company that specializes in commercial real estate. The listing says that the property is in “shell” condition.

County records show the building was built in 1908 and served as the Elks Temple for several years. The fraternity sold the property in 1992 to a private owner. The property then changed hands again in 2007 before being purchased by New Bern Historic LLC in 2022.

The listing does not include a current price for the property, but a 2024 tax valuation by Craven County values the property at $1.88 million.