Biddeford/Saco Developments

Continued progress on this project. Took these photos on the southbound train this AM.

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Have they created that bridge to the train station yet? Seems dumb if not.
 
A few construction update photos of the Landing on the Levee and the Saco Harborside at Factory Island townhomes.

Big fan of the brick facade on the front of the taller building to the left in the first image below and the contrasting dark green panels on the sides.

@TC_zoid Construction has not begun on the new pedestrian bridge but my understanding is that the necessary steps are being taken for it to materialize. As depicted in the photo below, the passage underneath the railroad has reopened to pedestrian traffic hugely improving connectivity between the north and south sides of the tracks.

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Biddeford/Saco has done a wonderful job with development. One thing I will say on the contrary, is that those duplexes are a disgrace. A prime piece of real estate that is a one minute walk from downtown Saco and Biddeford right around the corner. Very sad not to see some mixed use urban development there with its great location. Someone made their dough and fled though so good for them.
 
NR2Portland said:
Biddeford/Saco has done a wonderful job with development. One thing I will say on the contrary, is that those duplexes are a disgrace. A prime piece of real estate that is a one minute walk from downtown Saco and Biddeford right around the corner. Very sad not to see some mixed use urban development there with its great location. Someone made their dough and fled though so good for them.
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It's on the Saco side. I like to think Biddeford wouldn't have let it happen. Between that site (a massive, massive missed opportunity on a prime rail adjacent site) and the litigation over Lincoln Village, the city's planning apparatus is an absolute mess. FWIW the duplex developer also owns 110 Main St, right across the street, as well as multiple properties over southern Maine, Portland included, and somehow he keeps failing upward and making money.

More broadly, that entire corridor on Saco Island from Pepperell Square to Mechanics Park just doesn't work from a planning and placemaking perspective. It looks and feels bad and doesn't work well for drivers, cyclists, walkers, or anyone else.
 
My alma mater, Thornton Academy and its new fieldhouse progress. It will have a 2nd level running track (nice). I realize the school has over 300 foreign students, and with its latest Instagram marketing, are they back to a focus on Chinese students? I checked into the cost last year for a friend in Switzerland, who was looking for a one year program at an American school for his 15-year old daughter. I called TA and thought with my alumni status (and with giving $) that I could get a deal. I got 6K off and the new total for tuition, room and board came to 82K 😲 Oh well. TA has one of the best STEM programs in the nation. It's also an Apple school designation. It helps when you are a "private" school. (And the 2-hour direct train ride to visit Boston, Harvard, MIT, et al is another incentive for parents to spend that kind of money.)

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Once they get a foot bridge from here built to the train station, it's convenient to get to Portland or Boston on the Downeaster with 5 daily trips.
 
TC_zoid said:
Once they get a foot bridge from here built to the train station, it's convenient to get to Portland or Boston on the Downeaster with 5 daily trips.
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Soon (2026-7?) it'll be six trips to Portland, once the Wells station and PTC are complete and they institute the morning commuter short-turn to Wells. That could make these ideal spots for commuting to Portland.
 
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If this project turns out like the visuals shown here, Biddeford will be THE place to be in southern Maine outside of Portland.
Many projects like this start outside an existing historic downtown. This project would grow Biddeford's existing historic downtown which would be game changing for the “on the up” small city.
 
Has this been approved? If so, does it have a timeline?
 
Approved in Feb 2023, they came back in July 2025 with revised plans and requested prelim and final approval. PB decided there were significant enough changes for a re-review.

Also, the above figures are wrong - they're the original numbers. The new proposal includes five townhomes, Building A is now 'up to 52 units', Building B is 'up to 85 units' and Building C is still a restaurant, but 154 total seats. My bad.
 
MaineHousing announced their tax credit financing awards for 2026, which usually clinches the funding for projects to move forward into construction next year. Two projects in Biddeford won awards:
  • Quebec Commons, Biddeford, 45 units for 55+ adults
  • The Rochambeau, Biddeford, 46 units for 55+ adults

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEGOV/bulletins/3fc7a96

"Quebec Commons" appears to be the name of a new 4-story building at the corner of Lincoln and Pearl Street downtown, next to the new parking garage. Can't find much info but here's a tiny sketch from a Westbrook Housing annual report:

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cneal said:
MaineHousing announced their tax credit financing awards for 2026, which usually clinches the funding for projects to move forward into construction next year. Two projects in Biddeford won awards:
  • Quebec Commons, Biddeford, 45 units for 55+ adults
  • The Rochambeau, Biddeford, 46 units for 55+ adults

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEGOV/bulletins/3fc7a96

"Quebec Commons" appears to be the name of a new 4-story building at the corner of Lincoln and Pearl Street downtown, next to the new parking garage. Can't find much info but here's a tiny sketch from a Westbrook Housing annual report:

View attachment 68710
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Phase I is the building closest to the parking garage. It was reviewed locally back in 2024 as 15 Pearl Street. https://biddefordme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/237/files/attachment/1475

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Bateman has been trying to put a development in behind their existing housing off Main Street, near the intersection with South Street, and opposite the former Rochambeau Club. I think the second funded project is theirs. They stated earlier this year when they were pursuing rezoning from Saco River Corridor Commission they were submitting for the September funding deadline.
 
BiddefordArch said:
Bateman has been trying to put a development in behind their existing housing off Main Street, near the intersection with South Street, and opposite the former Rochambeau Club. I think the second funded project is theirs. They stated earlier this year when they were pursuing rezoning from Saco River Corridor Commission they were submitting for the September funding deadline.
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MaineHousing's board documents say that the "Rochambeau" is an Avesta project (see page 26):
https://www.mainehousing.org/docs/d...ember-2025-board-packet.pdf?sfvrsn=220f9c15_1

Sounds like it might be one this proposal on Barra Road:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/04...housing-project-by-avesta-is-in-the-pipeline/
 
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