ST. GEORGE – The Lillius Gilchrest Grace Institute is proposing a youth center for after-school activities on land adjacent to St. George School, along “the Marsh.”

The proposed two-story building in Tenants Harbor is about 6,900 square feet, including two apartments on the second floor. The estimated cost of the project is $800,000.

More than a year ago, Grace Institute secretary Tim Watts announced plans for a youth center, about the same time controversy was swirling in SAD 50 over cutting home economics programs.

Although SAD 50 comprises Thomaston, St. George and Cushing, only St. George had the benefit of the Grace Institute, which provided buildings and substantial funding for domestic programs.

District officials were threatening to cut home economics and shop, which St. George thought might put it at risk of losing Grace Institute benefits. St. George voters rejected the budget three times, before the money was reinstated for that curriculum and the budget was passed.

During summer 2004, Watts told the town the institute would close after the 2004-05 school year because the state’s new Learning Results standards were placing greater demands on both time and finances. As a result, the Grace programs were expected to be reduced for the coming year and eventually eliminated.

The institute was created some 60 years ago to foster domestic science education for women and industrial arts programs for men in the town of St. George.

Namesake Lillius Gilchrest Grace was born in St. George and later became the wife of W.R. Grace, a New York City mayor and prominent businessman.

For the new center, Christian H. Fasoldt Architects of Rockport has designed a two-story building, which is to be built by Monroe & Goodwin of Camden. Four bedrooms and 41/2 baths are proposed for the facility at 71 Main St.

“This facility, the Lillius Gilchrest Grace Youth Center, has been founded to aid the schoolchildren of the local area by providing an after-school activity center, a counseling center and additional functions in support of local youths,” states a letter to the town from Fasoldt “The facility will have office space and two apartments on the second floor for live-in staff.”

An old farmhouse, which originally was to provide space for youths on the 8.2-acre parcel, will be removed. The building and a portion of that land is assessed at $82,100.

“The property will be tastefully, but minimally, landscaped to enhance the structure and preserve the character of the site,” the letter says.

On Tuesday, Watts said the fate of the waterfront Grace Institute buildings, located across Route 131 from the old farmhouse, is not yet known. He also did not know how long the construction period would be for the new youth center. That small waterfront parcel and three buildings are assessed at $414,500.

The property in the village of Tenants Harbor will be visited at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, by the planning commission for a site walk and onsite public hearing. The commission will continue its review process at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the town office.