WESTBROOK – It may not be the kind of business venture officials at Westbrook Housing envisioned when they built the combination residential unit and commercial spaces at 917 Main St. more than a year ago, but Gisele Perry thinks the space is perfect for her.

Perry, 54, offers massage therapy and skin and nail care in one of three spaces available to small businesses in the building Westbrook Housing opened in January 2011.

Back then, Westbrook Housing officials said they expected local artists to buy the units, live upstairs, and use the downstairs portion to show off and sell their artwork. The plan was to recreate the success of similar properties in neighboring Portland marketed to local artists.

But those were apartments for rent, not condominiums for sale like in Westbrook, and by the end of 2011, a lack of interest forced Westbrook Housing to drop its prices and broaden its marketing to sell the condos to anyone who wanted them, leaving the new owners free to rent out the commercial space below.

“The artist piece per se did not work out the way we wanted,” said Westbrook Housing Executive Director John Gallagher.

Scott MacLean, who moved from Portland into one of the units in December 2011, said he was seeking a less-expensive alternative to living in Portland, but also liked the idea of being a commercial landlord.

Now, Perry rents the commercial portion of his unit from him. Perry grew up in Westbrook, went to St. Hyacinth’s school, and graduated from Westbrook High School in 1975. She worked for 28 years as an administrative assistant to insurance companies and law firms, but about 10 years ago, she wanted a career change.

“I just got laid off one too many times,” she said.

After a brief period of re-training, she opened up a massage and nail business out of her Naples home, and hasn’t looked back. She has about 20-30 regular clients right now, but some clients have come up from Windham, prompting her to seek something, as she puts it, “south of the rotary.”

That led to her expansion into Westbrook. It’s a small space, large enough for just one room, but Perry said it’s just right. She takes clients by appointment only, and has covered the space’s windows for privacy. She started seeing clients in Westbrook less than two weeks ago, and already word of mouth has led to her getting 10 new clients.

Gisele Perry sits on the edge of the massage table at her new location at 917 Main St. She is the first person to set up shop in the three commercial spaces in what used to be known as the artists’ condos built by Westbrook Housing. (Staff photo by Sean Murphy)