By ANGELO J. VERZONI

Staff Writer

BIDDEFORD — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided the fate of the buildings ”“ including the main house ”“ on Timber Point, a 157-acre plot of coastal land in Biddeford, which is part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge is run by the fish and wildlife service, which acquired the land in December 2011 by way of a public-private partnership that raised more than $5 million dollars through federal grants and private donations.

Several buildings freckle the property ”“ part of a summer estate designed by architect Charles Ewing and built in the 1930s ”“ and some are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Bill Durkin, president of the Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, said Thursday that the refuge acquired the land strictly for its wildlife habitat, which houses migratory birds and other animals, and there just happened to be some buildings on it.

“This beautiful, sort-of-untouched land had a 14-bedroom house and some other buildings on it,” he said.

So, once the refuge acquired the land, the question became what to do with the buildings?

Last fall the fish and wildlife service started investigating four options, trying to determine which one would best serve both the environment and wildlife there as well as the residents who live nearby and the general public wishing to explore the largely pristine coastal site. The options ranged from not doing much of anything to removing the buildings entirely.

Now, after months of deliberation, which included an environmental-impact study, two public meetings, more than 280 public comments and three public tours of the estate’s 14-bedroom main house, the service has made its final decision, according to a recent press release.

Ward Feurt, the refuge manager, said Thursday that the service decided to do what it had wanted to do all along: Restore and then perserve the buildings, open the last 1/5 mile of Timber Point Road up to foot traffic and erect “interpretive panels and signs” in the area, which would discuss the history of the buildings, wildlife and “what life was like in the ”˜30s.”

Despite a push from some groups, such as the Timber Point Center, to turn the main house into a museum-like facility, Feurt said all of the estate’s structures will remain closed to the public, and only the garage will continue to be used for storage.

“People won’t be able to go into the buildings, but they’ll be able to go through the area,” he said, reading the panels and signs as they take a self-guided tour through Timber Point.

Currently, there’s a trail that stops short of the main house, said Durkin, but part of the plan moving forward will be to extend access to that area.

Feurt and Durkin both said that, as is the case with all national wildlife refuges, the Rachel Carson NWR’s main goal is to perserve the wildlife habitat on Timber Point. But, at the same time, Feurt acknowledged that the buildings are worth perserving, too, as they bear a “cultural importance” to the community.

“They built those houses there in the 1930s,” he said, “and so what we want to do is try to preserve the wildlife values and the historical significance of Timber Point.”

It will probably be another year or so before building-restoration efforts begin, said Feurt, and the refuge will be working with residents who live nearby to address their concerns over an uptick in vehicular traffic in the area.

According to FWS.gov, the estimated cost to bring the buildings up to “preservation status” is $390,000, while another $35,000 will be needed annually to maintain them. The service also predicts annual visitation to the area could increase by up to 40 percent.

As far as classifying some of the buildings as national historic places goes, Feurt said the service has hired an architectural historian, who will work with the state to complete a “nomination package” for the National Historic Preservation Office to consider.

Durkin admitted that he doesn’t think having the house and other buildings on Timber Point is ideal, but keeping them there was still the preferred option of the Friends of Rachel Carson NWR. Buildings or no buildings, Durkin said the area is still one of the most beautiful in all of Maine.

“Anybody that hasn’t been out there, they need to get out there,” he said. “It’s just fantastic. There’s nothing like it at all.”

— Staff Writer Angelo J. Verzoni can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or averzoni@journaltribune.com.