BATH

The owner of the Midcoast Center for Higher Education withdrew a proposed zone change for the property and is now proposing to turn part of the former hospital building into apartment units.

Bob Smith of Kennebec Landing LLC, bought the former hospital building at 9 Park St. from the city in May 2013. He had planned to appear before the Planning Board April 1 to discuss his request to change the zoning or the property from a Residential 2 to Residential 1 zone, which would have increased the number of dwelling units Smith could build.

The board tabled that meeting after Smith and his consultants received some last minute information from one of the city’s consultants reviewing the proposal, and he subsequently withdrew the application. Neighbors had expressed concern about the possibility of subsidized and senior housing at the location, and of the uncertainty about the future of the building. Smith had tried to bring in new commercial tenants and though he’s had businesses come and look at the available space, hasn’t had any takers. He still envisions a mixed use of residential and commercial for the building.

As a developer, Smith said, he needs to be concerned with the feelings of the neighborhood.

He has talked with some interested contractors who may be interested in renting a furnished apartment during the course of a job, Smith said, and emphasized “it won’t be transient.”

The current R2 (mediumdensity) zone allows up to 30 residential units, but Smith has submitted a site plan and development subdivision application proposing to construct 15 apartments. The plan could go to the Planning Board as soon as July 15 and, if approved that night, Smith said he plans to start construction the next day.

The application states it represents the first phase of a total of 30 units. Smith said he’ll start with 15 apartments, which he said, if they already existed, he could have them rented already. Once they are built, if needed, he will do a second phase. The apartments would go where Southern Maine Community College was located in a 13,500- square-foot space, on the second floor in the three-story brick building, utilizing a total of between 17,000 and 18,000 square feet. The work will take place within the existing building and utilize existing infrastructure.

Smith has tried to get commercial tenants in the building. Providence School and SMCC moved from Midcoast Center for Higher Education to Brunswick Landing in Brunswick, the University of Maine will leave in August and Mid Coast Medical Group plans to relocate its Bath campus — now at the MCHE — to a new medical office building on Centre Street next year.

The apartments would be about 500 to 800 square feet, some one-bedroom and some two-bedroom, Smith said. The apartments, in place of the educational organizations and medical offices that were in the building, are expected to reduce traffic in the area and reduce the sewage flow to the city’s sewer system.

dmoore@timesrecord.com