BRUNSWICK

Members of the Brunswick FoodShed project are optimistic that they will have a permanent home year-round.

The FoodShed is a rebranding of the Brunswick Farmers’ Market project that wants to build a space in the massive former freight sheds along the railroad tracks owned by the Brooks family.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in terms of its multiple potential benefits for healthy food, for the citizens of Brunswick, for local farms and their need for a good outlet, for downtown revitalization for community pride,” said Steve Weems, who sits on the FoodShed’s board of directors. “There are so many reasons to like this that I’m sure we’ll get it done.”

As part of its plans, the FoodShed is requesting use of a lot on Weymouth Street owned by the Brunswick Development Corporation for parking.

According to an Aug. 19 memo to the BDC from Brunswick FoodShed Executive Director Maina Handmaker, the FoodShed project would utilize the two freight sheds on the Brooks property. One shed would be renovated and a second, larger shed be rebuilt in order to create 19 heated year-round indoor vendor stalls.

The project is looking to work with a local restaurant to open a small cafe as an anchor tenant in the larger shed.

Handmaker said she will operate her printing business in the smaller shed to serve as the anchor tenant there.

“In the larger shed, we are working with local restaurant owners to plan a small café as an anchor tenant, that will serve all local farmers’ market products on their menu,” Handmaker said.

An additional 28 stalls would sit under “two pavilion connectors between the sheds.”

“These stalls would be three-season spaces with the option to be enclosed and temporarily heated during the winter farmers’ market. There would be space for at least six additional temporary, rotating, or seasonal vendors to sell directly from their vehicles on the green,” according to the memo. “This setup also includes space for the two anchor tenants that will help provide a diverse stream of rental income to ensure the Brunswick FoodShed can always sustain its own operating costs.” According to Handmaker’s memo, Gary Brooks is ready to sign a 20-25-year lease on the sheds.

Handmaker approached the BDC Sept. 19 with her request.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces,” said BDC President Larissa Darcy in an interview on Thursday. “There are more questions than answers at this time, but we’re all working together to help move the project forward.”

The BDC has created a subcommittee to work with the players involved, including the town, the Brooks family, and the FoodShed organizers.

“We’re trying to keep in mind the future growth of Brunswick,” Darcy said.

Weems said the farmers’ market’s long-range vision includes having a “permanent, secure, and year-round” home for the downtown farmers’ market, currently held on the Mall.

“One of the goals of this is to build a stronger kind of community activity around local food production and the consumption of healthy food. We want to have community input as to what that vision is,” said Weems.

Space for parking

To make the vision a reality, the farmers’ market project is going to need space for parking, according to Weems.

“That may or may not involve the Weymouth Street parcel,” said Weems, adding that there have also been ongoing discussions with the Brooks family about parking. “The project can’t be done without an answer to where you’re going to park the people.”

Earlier this year, the farmers’ market project obtained $15,000 grant from the BDC, and the project has raised $15,000 in matching funds.

That capital is being used to pay for preliminary site and architectural surveys and other work to determine the cost of rehabilitating the sheds.

The BDC parcel is currently vacant and is adjacent to a lot owned by the Brooks family, and close to the freight sheds.

Brunswick’s Business Development Manager Linda Smith said the BDC is looking at the “best use of the parcel.”

In April, the BDC was approached by Newcastle couple Steve and Casey Ward interested in purchasing the Weymouth Street parcel. The two said they were interested in building an energyefficient house on the lot in which they would live.

The BDC took no action on the Wards’ request.

The project

ACCORDING TO AN Aug. 19 memo to the Brunswick Development Corporation from Brunswick FoodShed Executive Director Maina Handmaker, the project would utilize the two freight sheds on the Brooks property. One shed would be renovated and a second, larger shed be rebuilt in order to create 19 heated year-round indoor vendor stalls.

THE PROJECT IS looking to work with a local restaurant to open a small cafe as an anchor tenant in the larger shed.