During the recent Harpswell annual Town Meeting, the town voted to authorize a $5 million bond for the demolition of Harpswell’s Mitchell Field Pier, as recommended by the Mitchell Field Committee. The bond will cost the town nearly $7 million over 20 years, with an interest rate of 3.8 percent.
Though still in the early stages, the project is scheduled to begin in late April when plans for the removal are completed, according to Harpswell Town Administrator Kristi K. Eiane. Project permits are set to be obtained in May and June, and the project should be out to bid for contractors by July, Eiane said. Construction is set to start by the fall of 2017.
“It’s a rough time table, but it’s good to have one,” said Eiane. “Whether or not we can adhere to it is the question.”
Removal plans are being completed by Baker Design Consultants Inc. of Freeport, who have worked on multiple projects on the Mitchell Field property since 2004, including upland restoration.
“We’re just thrilled at the results of the town meeting,” said Barney Baker, president and principal engineer of Baker Design. “It’s an amazing site and a great opportunity for the town.”
The most cost-effective demolition option as recommended by Baker Design includes the removal and transfer of all sections of the pier by crane and barge to an upland site on the Mitchell Field property. Pier elements — including steel sheets, wooden pilings, concrete and stone ballast — will then be separated and processed before being trucked offsite. Construction of a temporary road to bypass the nearby beach area has been proposed to cut down on job site traffic. The estimated cost for this method is $4,867,371, falling within the boundaries of the $5 million bond.
Other options — such as barging demolition material offsite or creating an artificial reef at the pier site with demolition materials — have been considered as well. Those options are unlikely, Eiane said, as they well exceed the $5 million threshold.
Exact construction plans will be ironed out in the next month as the town awaits demolition permits.
“Permits are the easy part,” said Baker. “As in any project, the financing is the hard part, and that’s done.”
Eiane said that a neighborhood meeting will be held at the Harpswell Town Hall within the next month to gauge public response of the demolition.
“We really want everyone to have a say in this process,” said Eaine.
The meeting does not have a scheduled date at this time.
Proposed Uses
Proposed uses for the Mitchel Field Pier property after demolition is complete include the installation of a seasonal float system and a salmon aquaculture farm, as well as sections that could be designated for ecological preservation.
Furthermore, an appropriation of not more than $10,000 from the Mitchell Field Capital Reserve was recently granted to the Town of Harpswell to determine the feasibility of installing communications equipment onto the Mitchell Field Water Tower. Eiane said that the money would be used to engage a site manager who would interview interested cell phone carriers and other parties who might use the equipment, but that “there’s no decision on the water tower yet.”
For more information on the Mitchell Field Pier demolition process, visit harpswell.maine.gov.
bgoodridge@timesrecord.com
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