Sanford, Maine

One cool Sanford claim that is impressive for a small city of only 20,000 is the numerous landings Air Force One made during the Bush Presidential years. Even though Sanford Airport's primary runway is only 6000 feet long, a lot of infrastructure, radar, lighting and other safety improvements were made by the Federal Government to accommodate the transportation needs of the two Presidents, their families and staff.

Obviously smaller narrow bodied aircraft were utilized during those years, don't think the runway could handle 757's and larger equipment. Sanford's closer location to Kennebunkport and lack of commercial air service made it a better option than the Portland Jetport. I think Pease Airport was used on occasion also which has a runway that can support any size aircraft.
 
Downtown Sanford today from Mt. Hope.
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Potential Mill Redevelopment in Sanford.

I usually don't hold my breath with anything ever happening in Sanford, but maybe this time?

A developer with a long track record of redeveloping historic mill buildings in New England has signed a purchase and sale agreement to redevelop the long vacant Stenton Mill on River Street.

Eric Chinberg, whose Newington, N.H.-based company is already redeveloping the Jagger Mill in Springvale, plans to develop at least 100 housing units, according to Keith McBride, executive director of the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council. There are no plans for first-floor commercial space. Chinberg has redeveloped mills in Biddeford and Saco as well as in New Hampshire communities of Portsmouth, Dover and Exeter.

“He has a great portfolio of projects,” McBride said.

Chinberg is the second company to propose redevelopment of the mill, which has been vacant for two decades. In 2017, one of two towers of the mill burned in spectacular fashion. WinnCompanies proposed and then abandoned redevelopment of the remaining tower in 2023 with significant financing from Maine Housing, which provides low-interest financing for projects that advance affordable housing goals.

McBride said he can’t comment on Chinberg’s financing package, except to say Chinberg has used historic tax credits on prior projects and that could be practical in this case. The site is relatively clean from the city’s investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars of EPA Brownfields funding to investigate and clean up residual industrial contamination, he said.

McBride said the redevelopment process is still early but he’s “cautiously optimistic.”

sanfordspringvalenews.com

New Developer Takes on Old Mill - Sanford Springvale News

The Stenton Mill as it looked in 2021 File photo By Lee Burnett A developer with a long track record of redeveloping historic mill buildings in New England has signed […]
sanfordspringvalenews.com sanfordspringvalenews.com

www.mainebiz.biz

Jagger Mill renovation project will bring 86 apartments to Sanford

The 68,000-square-foot Jagger Mill in Sanford's Springvale section has been sold to Eric Chinburg, who will begin refurbishing the building into market-rate apartments this winter.
www.mainebiz.biz www.mainebiz.biz
 
I hope historic tax credits don't get axed (or chainsawed) so that projects like this continue to move forward.
 
Market pressure in southern Maine is now such that Sanford is next in line for a groundswell of private sector investment IMO. Those hundreds of thousands of SF of mill floor area are like a stranded asset whose time has come. And, I know of multiple young professionals who have bought homes in the community - the flywheel of revitalization is beginning to turn.
 
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