Westbrook abuzz with work on developments worth millions

With the spring thaw coming to an end, movement can be seen throughout Westbrook on a number of developments. And whether the projects result in added traffic or new public amenities, one thing is certain – change is coming.

Molly Just, Westbrook’s city planner, said that while she didn’t like to exaggerate, projects in Westbrook “are bigger and seem to be coming in to our office almost concurrently.”

Just last year, a number of significant proposals that are in total worth millions of dollars, including the construction of 180 housing units off Spring Street, signaled the ongoing interest from developers. The city is working to sustain the momentum, with downtown construction projects, large community events such as Tough Mudder, the popular obstacle course, and plans for added public amenities.

Bill Baker, the city’s assistant city administrator for business and community relations, said this week that he considers the recent economic activity in Westbrook “a collection of little successes and big successes.”

“I think it’s a really optimistic time,” he said about Westbrook.

The American Journal compiled a list of some of the major projects that have been introduced or moved ahead since last year, and where they are in the pipeline.

Bridge Street bridge

It’s difficult to miss when driving downtown, and has caused some traffic headaches for commuters, but when the new Bridge Street bridge and accompanying pedestrian walkway are completed, at a cost of $6.2 million, Westbrook will have a different look.

With construction starting in January, crews from Reed & Reed and other subcontractors have been “on track,” said City Engineer Eric Dudley this week.

Large cranes are easily visible on both sides of Saccarappa Falls, and the construction now is focused on creating two abutments, which will anchor the new bridge on both sides of its new angle. The current intersection of Bridge and Main streets will be moved to the other side of the Edwards Block building.

Dudley said the expanded overlook is under construction at Bridge Street, which is visible from the north side of the river. While crews have taken over Saccarappa Park, the construction of the overlook provides a glimpse at what the project will offer residents when completed. The state is covering a large majority of the project costs.

Jack Turner, the site superintendent for Reed & Reed, said last week that he estimated the project to be two weeks ahead of schedule. The entire project, including the pedestrian bridge, expanded river overlooks and streetscape enhancements, is slated to take between 18 months and two years.

Dudley said the work for the center pier of the bridge will begin in August.

Riverwalk North

The extension of the downtown riverwalk has been discussed by city staff for quite some time, but the construction on the new Bridge Street bridge has caused movement on the Riverwalk North project, which would effectively create a loop for pedestrians and cyclists in the city.

According to City Planner Molly Just, who has led two public meetings on the proposed project, the Riverwalk North concept will go to the Planning Board for a sketch plan review on May 5. The meeting will also hope to solicit public comment on the project.

When discussing the project at public meetings, planning staff and outdoor enthusiasts have said the riverwalk extension would be beneficial for Westbrook residents, not only as a public recreational amenity, but also a possible economic stimulus.

At a prior public meeting this winter, Bruce Wallingford, the owner of Ernie’s Cycle Shop in Westbrook, compared the proposed loop to Back Cove in Portland.

Just said the project will include street access from multiple points, including a connection to the new pedestrian bridge that will be part of the Bridge Street bridge rebuild.

According to Just, the Riverwalk North will include a mix of cantilevered boardwalk, to traverse wetland areas, and at-grade trail.

“There will be an appropriate level of lighting to ensure safety and visual access from both sides of the river,” she said. “The lampposts and other amenities will be designed to blend into the existing Riverwalk and the Bridge Street bridge project pedestrian amenities.”

There is no price estimate yet for the project, Just said.

Mitchell building

Rob Mitchell, the owner of HVAC Services Inc. in Westbrook, has a vision for what Westbrook could look like in the wake of the bridge and riverwalk projects, as well as eventual fish passage at Saccarappa Falls.

Since this winter, construction on a four-story building could be seen along the riverwalk behind Main Street, with Mitchell at the helm. His investment in the office building stems from what he sees as a lack of focus on the river in Westbrook.

The building is angled toward the river, making it one of the city’s first projects to face the Presumpscot.

An avid kayaker, Mitchell would like the building – the ground floor, at least – to become a hub for residents using the riverwalk. He has plans for a ground-floor coffee and sandwich shop and a place for kayak rentals.

On Tuesday, Mitchell was at the building, which is technically at 17 Ash St., checking out the progress and discussing landscaping. Some of the building’s standout features are its large windows and rooftop deck with 360-degree aerial views of downtown Westbrook. There is also a deck on the first floor.

Mitchell said he’s still searching for a ground-floor tenant to run the cafe?, which he sees as the centerpiece of the project.

As for tenants for the rest of the building, Mitchell said, both the options he’s looking at right now would see between 40-60 employees on the upper floors, making a solid customer base for any cafe?.

He also said he’s in discussions with a single tenant who would utilize all three office floors. Mitchell estimates the project will be in the range of $2.5 million by the time it’s completed.

Mitchell said he envisions increased foot traffic on the riverwalk once the new bridge and pedestrian bridge are completed. He also sees his building as a way to boost activity on the river, with a kayak launch just outside.

Talk of a playwave, or a “standing wave,” just after the falls also excites Mitchell. He believes the wave, while a simple recreational tool, would be an attraction for people outside Westbrook.

“I’m hoping with this, I can fill this building and people will start saying ‘wow,’” he said about riverfront opportunities in Westbrook.

He believes that once the bridge project is complete, which will create a walking square, more people will see the benefits of the waterfront and its potential to house more upscale properties.

“This is going to happen really fast,” he said.

Prides Corner Condominiums

Demolition began this week on the former Prides Corner Elementary School building in Westbrook, which will be the future site of 23 duplex buildings housing 46 condominium units.

A large backhoe was dismantling the expanded portion around the back of the building Tuesday.

Since the school was closed in 2012 due to renovation costs and a school department restructuring, plans for the sale and development of the 10-acre property have been ongoing.

The school is being razed to make way for the condo project, which is being developed by Stephen Goodrich, CEO of the Portland-based credit card processor, PowerPay, and developer Vincent Maietta.

Goodrich paid the city $450,000 for the property in 2014. Maietta’s company, V & E Enterprises, had tried to purchase the property in October 2013, with a tentative plan of constructing 98 apartment units spread between two or three large buildings. Overwhelming public comment against the proposal from neighbors led the City Council to reject the sale. Neighbors were troubled by the scope of the proposal, as well as its possible impact on schools and traffic.

However, the condo project found more support from neighbors.

Maietta said Tuesday that the demolition will take place as quickly as possible. Prior to the start of demolition, the city used the school for police and fire training.

“We’re going to go as fast as we can to build units,” he said. “We have several of the units that are spoken for, and we expect to be pouring foundations immediately once the building is gone.”

Just said this week that the developer received a phased approval of five years for the build out.

Blue Spruce Farm

The most significant housing project to come in front of city planners in the last year is the Blue Spruce Farm subdivision, off Spring Street.

The former Clarke Farm property, which was home to former longtime City Clerk William Clarke for decades, was sold to Risbara Bros. Construction in 2013. Last year, the company unveiled plans for a large subdivision on the property, which will include single-family homes, multi-family units, and condominiums, for a total of 180 housing units.

City staff told the American Journal this past fall that the subdivision will be one of Westbrook’s largest in decades. Because of the project’s size, Just said, the city asked for a “student generation” study, which looks at the potential impacts the development may have on the surrounding school system.

A traffic study is also in the works, as the area surrounding the development already sees heavy commuter traffic, which will only grow as Landing Road is built to connect Spring and Stroudwater streets.

Just said that with a pedestrian crossing at Spring Street and Landing Road, residents from both neighborhoods could expand their on-street walking options.

“We know that it is very beneficial for different generations of people to mix,” she said, referring to the development’s proximity to the Stroudwater Landing senior campus. “Also, imagine being able to walk from Blue Spruce Farm to the Animal Refuge League to look at animals to adopt.”

Just said this week that the development will most likely be built in phases, with a build-out no longer than 10 years.

While the project will be taking up noticeable open space in Westbrook, the city planning staff is hoping to include public amenities to the project. Just said the city and Risbara have been in discussion with Portland Trails on “trail connections connecting to the river and appropriate open space within this project.

“The developer is also designing the project so as to minimize disruption to the wetland depressions, or ‘fingers,’ that run down the site, toward the Stroudwater River,” she said.

When completed, the condominiums will be part of an association, and a company will manage the apartments. Just said that all will be accessed by public streets and the single-family homes will have curbside trash pick-up and snow plowing right to their driveway.

Bill Risbara said Wednesday that the company sent the final application materials, which include site plan, subdivision and special exception applications, to the city planning staff on Tuesday, and said the company is hoping to be on the Planning Board agenda for May 19. A sketch plan had already been submitted and reviewed by the Planning Board.

J.B. Brown & Sons development

Another controversial development in Westbrook, on perhaps the city’s most visible green space and farmland, is the property between Stroudwater Street and the Westbrook Arterial.

The 60 acres formerly owned by Jason Snyder, who had proposed a large retail development for the property called Stroudwater Place, was eventually acquired by Portland developer J.B. Brown & Sons last year.

The company successfully had the land rezoned by the City Council in 2014, turning the property into a roughly 45-acre zone for potential commercial development, and a 15-acre zone for possible residential development.

Vin Veroneau, the CEO of J.B. Brown, said Tuesday that the company is still moving slowly on development of the land.

A preliminary plan called for some 18 housing lots stemming from Stroudwater Street, with a variety of development taking shape off the arterial, which could include retail space, a small hotel, and a possible multi-family dwelling.

Veroneau said the only movement so far on the Stroudwater parcel is a meeting with the Maine Department of Transportation to discuss the entrance to the property, which would be at the intersection of the Westbrook Arterial and Larrabee Road.

“We haven’t done anything except for some preliminary discussions with them, but we haven’t presented any plans,” he said.

J.B. Brown also owns a nearby property on Saunders Way, and a project on that property could be closer to fruition. Veroneau said a 100,000-square-foot warehouse may be built within the next year.

Public Services building

Construction on the new $8.7 million Westbrook Public Services facility will most likely begin in August. According to Dudley, the city engineer, Westbrook is seeking cost proposals to design and build the facility from Sheridan Construction, Great Falls Construction and Landry and French Construction.

Dudley, who has replaced the retired Tom Eldridge as public services director, said the proposals are due on May 26.

“The majority of the work will be completed by next August with the finish work done before the end of 2016,” he said.

The new building will replace the aging facility and will create a fleet maintenance garage to be utilized by all city vehicles.

Cumberland Mills traffic circle

Another construction project in the pipeline is the redesign of the Cumberland Mills traffic circle, which would add a series of stoplights to the intersections to increase safety for vehicles and pedestrians.

Also referred to as a traffic triangle, the intersection defies definition due to its structure. But, in many ways, it resembles a large traffic circle, with a series of often-congested arteries spilling onto Main Street.

The proposed $1.7 million project would add traffic signals at the intersections of Main and Cumberland streets, Cumberland Street and Harnois Avenue, and Harnois and Main streets, allowing safer travel for commuters merging onto Main Street and supplying additional crosswalks for pedestrians. However, the signals would also slow traffic along Main Street, where commuters are not currently required to stop as they travel through the area.

According to Dudley, the city was successful in competing for PACTS (Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System) funding for the upgrades to the Cumberland Mills triangle this past winter.

“It is now on MDOT’s (the Maine Department of Transportation) schedule to kick off final design in June,” Dudley said this week. “Construction will begin sometime between 2016 and 2017.”

A man walks a stroller past a newly constructed office building along the riverwalk Wednesday, developed by Westbrook businessman Rob Mitchell. The building was designed as a way to utilize the river view and the riverwalk, and be an example to other potential riverfront development.?There are no visible signs of development yet on the 60 ?acres between Stroudwater Street and the Westbrook? ?Arterial acquired by Portland developer J.B. Brown & Sons last year?. ?The city has yet to see a sketch? ?plan for the project. File photoA backhoe begins demolition on the former Prides Corner Elementary School property Tuesday, beginning with the expanded portion of the school in the rear of the building. The developer expects the demolition to be completed quickly. Staff photos by Andrew RiceA large window in a new Westbrook office building looks? ?out onto the Presumpscot River. Developed by Rob Mitchell, the owner of? ?HVAC Services in Westbrook, the building ?will? provide amenities? ?for those using the riverwalk.Staff photo by Andrew RiceWork continues on the new Bridge Street bridge this week on both sides of Saccarappa Falls. On the northern side, by the Dana Warp Mill, work was being completed for an abutment for the bridge.

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