BAR HARBOR — Hotelier Tom Walsh and the group that oversees the appearance of all downtown buildings moved closer to agreement May 24 during the latest review of Mr. Walsh’s $13 million West Street hotel.

The hotel is just weeks away from completion, but remains before the design review board (DRB) because of unapproved changes made to the exterior of the building during construction. The DRB took up review of the new design this spring, after Mr. Walsh’s company, Ocean Properties, received a violation notice from code enforcement officer Angela Chamberlain.

A slew of proposed changes was presented at the May 24 meeting, all based on DRB comments from the past several weeks, Ocean Properties co-owner Bill Walsh said. Among the alterations proposed to bring the building closer to compliance were removal of several balconies, rooflines changed, siding colors redone and surfaces changed, and shutters and other touches added.

DRB members initially were highly critical of much of the work, stating that scrolled iron railings were too “New Orleans,” glass balcony railings inappropriate, and that the monotonous patterns of materials and features across the length of the structure still had not been addressed. The building still looks like one structure instead of many, as it had been designed, they said.

“The whole thing looks like one big hotel,” DRB member Barbara Sassaman said.

“We’re back to square one,” member Steve Demers said. “And we’re back to square one at a point way too late in the process.”

The tension eased considerably, however, after several people, including Tom Walsh, encouraged the board to find a way to approve the project.

“I believe Ocean Properties has made a good faith effort in addressing your concerns,” West Street craft gallery owner Ivan Rasmussen said. “I haven’t heard a single abutter stand up and protest this project … Any further stalling and delaying … will have additional impact on us. I don’t believe that’s fair.”

Ocean Properties attorney Andy Hamilton offered a formal apology to DRB chairman Todd Hardy for the changes in the design. Considerable work had gone into the first design, he said, and things had turned out differently from what was approved.

However, he said, “the who, what, where, when, how questions have been asked and answered several times in these proceedings. I think you have to move on.” He advised the board to respond to the stress of the situation by “surrendering to what is.”

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