▁own ers ▁formed ▁the ▁Sh ore ▁Club , ▁which ▁allowed ▁guests ▁at ▁local ▁hot els ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁Reading ▁Room ' s ▁facilities . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁le ased ▁the ▁building ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁an ▁observation ▁headquarters . ▁ ▁When ▁Bar ▁Har bor ▁was ▁inf lic ted ▁by ▁the ▁great ▁fires ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁the ▁American ▁Red ▁Cross ▁used ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁provide ▁shelter ▁to ▁many ▁who ▁had ▁lost ▁their ▁homes . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁a ▁committee ▁set ▁out ▁to ▁raise ▁funds , ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁a ▁stock ▁program , ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁hotel . ▁The ▁committee ▁was ▁head qu arter ed ▁at ▁ 6 ▁Mount ▁Des ert ▁Street , ▁and ▁by ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁they ▁had ▁raised ▁$ 2 3 1 , 6 0 0 . ▁They ▁extended ▁the ▁campaign ▁" in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁entire ▁author ized ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁stock ▁issue ." ▁ ▁Work ▁on ▁the ▁new ▁hotel ▁— ▁named ▁the ▁Hotel ▁Bar ▁Har bor ▁— ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁The ▁work ▁incorpor ated ▁the ▁Reading ▁Room ▁but ▁also ▁included ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁ 4 0 - room ▁wing . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁a ▁ 2 0 - room ▁mot el ▁over looking ▁French man ▁Bay ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁hotel . ▁ ▁David ▁J . ▁With am ▁purchased ▁the ▁hotel ▁in ▁