It’s abundantly clear who needs to buy Maine’s ‘Wedding Cake House’

This Kennebunk property calls for a union of another sort. See inside.

If you’ve ever taken the leisurely drive from Kennebunkport inland, you’ve likely spotted it: the “Wedding Cake House.” Just a stone’s throw from Route 1, the bright-yellow masterpiece in Kennebunk got its name from the elaborate white trim lacing its edges, much like a tiered cake.

Called one of the most-photographed homes in Maine, the house is nothing short of an icon. Now that icon is on the market for a cool $2,650,000. According to the Portland Press Herald, its current owners had been trying to convert the home into an inn and event space. Kennebunk’s planning board rejected their proposal to use it as commercial property in a residential zone, and not long after, the owners put up a “for sale” sign on the 2.23-acre property.

It’s a shame the inn idea was shot down — I would have loved to stay there — but it’s abundantly clear who needs to buy the Wedding Cake House next. Without question, a group of people should pool their funds to buy the 1825 landmark, creating the co-living space of New Englanders’ wildest dreams. Co-living is no longer a new idea; Malden’s new co-living development, with 30 households living under one roof, is proof that it’s officially caught on here. But instead of living in a new building, eight to 10 people could revel in the quirks — and share the maintenance — of the Wedding Cake House.

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There are a total of six bedrooms in the main home, plus two more in the huge apartment on top of the property’s carriage house, for a total of 6,263 square feet of living space. A kitchen the listing agent calls “a caterer’s dream,” plus a spacious formal dining room, a library, and a total of five full bathrooms and four half bathrooms, only add to its practicality as a home for numerous people. There’s also plenty of wall space to fill. With paintings galore adorning the walls, you could even call the inhabitants a coven of modern-day Isabella Stewart Gardners, preserving Maine’s historic structure with communal flair.

As for the mortgage, let’s say eight people figure out a way to contribute a 20 percent down payment of $530,000. That leaves a monthly payment of around $16,000, or $2,000 per person. That’s much less than the median price of a one-bedroom in Boston, which now hovers around $3,000. And what’s included goes far beyond the average apartment: frontage on the Kennebunk River (kayaking!), a huge carriage house with stately wood paneling (a coworking space!), a gigantic yard with a fire pit (summer nights!), and more.

A close-knit group of friends with extra cash on hand have an opportunity to combat New England’s housing crisis in a fun, albeit eccentric, way. I truly hope they make an offer — and bring their art with them.