BRUNSWICK

All businesses start out as small businesses, according to Brunswick Town Manager John Eldridge, including some of the most successful companies today that started in garages or college dorms.

Small businesses can now come to Tech- Place, the latest effort by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority to bring business to the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. Those businesses could get a leg-up on becoming the next Apple, said Eldridge, speaking Thursday at the grand opening of the technology hub.

Gov. Paul LePage praised TechPlace as a tool that will bring young Mainers back to the state to work, and help keep retirees in Maine.

LePage said entrepreneurs were “moving out of their homes and garages” to TechPlace.

“Who knows? The next Bill Gates might come right out of Brunswick,” said LePage. “I hope so, anyways.”

LePage urged those in government to overcome differences in order to “get commerce moving” in Maine. While unemployment is down, the lack of skilled workers in Maine was “becoming a crisis,” according to the governor.

“It’s important that Tech- Place become a successful enterprise, not only for Brunswick Landing and the Brunswick region, but for the entire state of Maine,” said LePage.

MRRA hopes TechPlace will attract businesses involved in advanced materials, composites, aerospace and aviation, biotechnology and biomedical, renewable energy and information technology.

Located at 74 Orion St. at a 93,000-square-foot former aircraft maintenance facility, TechPlace is open to those who just want to lease a desk in a bullpen, or larger private office space, as well as labs, and shared industrial work spaces and equipment.

“The Navy only vacated completely this facility in 2011,” said MRRA Board Chairman John Peters. “We haven’t had all that much time. But I think we’ve made tremendous strides.”

Renovations at TechPlace estimated at $1.5 million began in September.

TechPlace officially opened in January as a hybrid of shared office spaces, joint bio-labs and socalled maker-spaces with shared manufacturing equipment.

MRRA has applied for a $30,000 grant to outfit Tech- Place’s bio-tech lab and tech shop.

MRRA Executive Director Steven Levesque reported to MRRA’s board on Wednesday that the first and second phases of TechPlace is open, “consisting of about 70,000 square feet of office, industrial and common spaces.”

Fourteen companies have signed use agreements and have moved in, said Levesque, and more were expected soon. Those companies range from aerospace companies, to the University of Maine, to a guitar manufacturer.

TechPlace is also being used by what Levesque called “partner organizations” for training and social events.

MRRA is also planning a series of twice-monthly business information and educational sessions, starting in June.

Eldridge was serving as the town’s finance director when, 10 years ago, the federal

Base Closure and Realignment Commission announced the base would close.

“In Navy-speak, it was called a disestablishment,” said Eldridge. “To us, it was simply a base closure. With the loss of the Navy, the sailors, their families, came the loss of hundreds of jobs, and the loss of millions of dollars flowing to the local and regional economy.”

TechPlace, however, is a milestone in the redevelopment of the former base, Eldridge said.

“I remember when they were going to close the base down, and there was a big black cloud over Brunswick, over the whole region,” said state Sen. Stan Gerzofsky, DBrunswick.

A lot has changed since then.

“This opening, today, is one of the absolute star attractions of what we’ve been wanting to do,” Gerzofsky said. “The businesses here are going to grow out employment numbers. Things are going to get better. … Here at Brunswick Landing, we’re going to be leading the state.”