Another article posted about this:
A multi-use development is planned on the "long-blighted downtown parcel" on Dana Street, across from the city's newest parking garage.
www.pressherald.com
The city paved the way Monday with a City Council-approved agreement to sell its 921 Main St. parcel to Matthew Welter, CEO of Quaker Lane Associates, for $424,292. It’s the 3.4-acre former power plant lot the city bought from Sappi North America in March for $375,000. The proposed development site includes the two Foote family properties on Dana Street. One parcel is the building that had once housed the American Journal newspaper offices and production plant, but has been vacant for about two decades.
“I’m really excited about the multitude of public benefits to this project on a long-blighted downtown parcel,” Westbrook Acting Mayor and Mayor-elect David Morse said Tuesday in an email to the American Journal. “In addition to creating needed new housing stock in our downtown, it will create new jobs, provide new customers for our downtown businesses, increase the city’s tax base, revitalize and expand the Riverwalk west of downtown, and enhance pedestrian connectivity and access to the Presumpscot River. None of this would be possible without the creative problem solving of our city staff and the open-minded cooperative participation of the former owner, SAPPI, and the developer.”
The proposed development is on the opposite side of Main Street from the city’s four-story parking garage that opened last spring on Vertical Way and the adjacent Vertical Harvest building at the corner of Mechanic Street and William Clarke Drive. Jennie Franceschi, Westbrook director of planning and code enforcement, told the American Journal before Monday’s City Council meeting that the project with a restaurant will include three-, five- and six-story buildings, all connected.
Franceschi said the site the city agreed to sell is a former industrial area. Morse said, “because it was the city’s intention to partner with a private developer to improve these industrial lots, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development has awarded the city of Westbrook $500,000 (half grant, half low-interest loan) to clean up the three former SAPPI parcels, including 921 Main St.”. The proposed development requires approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Maine Department of Transportation. Franceschi expects the development to receive Westbrook Planning Board approval in January or February.
As part of the deal, Franceschi said the city will relinquish its rights to Dana Street, which will be transformed into an entrance into the development from Main Street. Daniel Stevenson, Westbrook economic development director, told the City Council Nov. 4 before the first reading of the purchase and sale agreement that the city will retain public access over Dana Street, as well as a utility easement. The project also extends the walk along the Presumpscot River that City Administrator Jerre Bryant earlier this month called a “great opportunity.” Bryant hopes the walk would eventually be extended all the way to Gorham.Monday’s second reading approval of the sale was moved by city Councilor Jennifer Munro, seconded by Councilor Claude Rwaganje and approved unanimously, 5-0, with board Vice President Anna Turcotte and Councilor Gary Rairdon absent.
. I wonder where the % of embalming vs. cremation stands now? I think that many cemeteries will eventually be moved and/or removed....I don't have a problem with it as long as everything is properly recorded.
