GORHAM – A dispute about contents in a Gorham building that recently changed hands turned nasty this week when the former owner filed a complaint with police.

Michel Salvaggio of Falmouth, president of Bedford Falls Associates, the former owner of business property at 29 School St., went to Gorham police after a brief meeting Wednesday with Jonathan Smith, who acquired Salvaggio’s building in a bank foreclosure auction on May 24.

Salvaggio claims he’s been locked out of the building, and wants to make arrangements about removing contents, including liquor, food, supplies and furnishings.

“I’m going to have my day,” Salvaggio said Wednesday.

Bedford Falls Associates had bought the former church building five years ago and converted it to commercial use. Salvaggio’s son, Michel Salvaggio Jr., operated a banquet center and function hall, Bella Chiesa, and was one of four businesses that leased space.

The senior Salvaggio said he had met Tuesday with Smith to discuss a new lease.

“We couldn’t come to terms yesterday,” Salvaggio said Wednesday morning on a sidewalk on School Street.

“We bought the building and leases were wiped out through the foreclosure process,” Smith said Wednesday afternoon. “They’ve elected not to sign a lease,” he said of Salvaggio.

Salvaggio said he gave Smith a seven-page inventory list in their meeting Tuesday.

Smith, who exited the building, and Salvaggio met about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday outside near a door to the former church building.

Speaking briefly after that meeting, Smith said the issues centered on the auction process.

“We have to figure it out,” said Smith.

“He’s waiting to hear from his lawyer,” Salvaggio said after the two met. “His lawyer is interpreting the inventory list of what I own and what I don’t.”

Smith said later Wednesday that Salvaggio would be given an opportunity to remove what is his, but no time and date had been set yet.

“We have to establish what is his,” Smith said.

After his morning meeting with Smith, Salvaggio went to the Gorham Police Station Wednesday to file a report.

“I am being denied access to my formerly leased space at 29 School St., Gorham, to remove personal property, business contents, liquor, food, supplies, furnishings, equipment. The estimated value is $200,000. The landlord is Jonathan Smith, Great Falls Builders Gorham, Maine,” Salvaggio wrote in a voluntary statement taken by Sgt. Daniel Young.

It remains unclear what steps might be taken as far as police involvement. Young had left a message for Smith, but Smith hadn’t reached Young by mid-afternoon Wednesday. The American Journal also was unable to reach Young by deadline.

The building had four tenants, including Jaaamm’s Associates LLC and Sons of Italy Lodge, both with addresses at 3 Bedford Falls Way in Falmouth. Jaaamm’s Associates is a Salvaggio family company. Salvaggio said those entities received notices dated July 11 from a lawyer, John W. Sawyer, to “immediately quit and surrender the premises.”

Sawyer’s letter also said, “You will be given an opportunity to recover any of your non-fixture personal property, which may have been left or stored on the premises.”

When he owned the building, Salvaggio also granted leases to St. Joe’s Coffee and Thatcher’s Restaurant at 29 School St. Smith said St. Joe’s and Thatcher’s Restaurant are in the process of re-signing leases.

The historic building formerly housed School Street United Methodist Church, which relocated and is now Cressey Road United Methodist Church.

Michel Salvaggio Sr. of Falmouth leaves the Gorham Police Station Wednesday after filing a complaint that he has been denied access to 29 School St. to remove his property. Salvaggio is a former owner of the building bought by Jonathan Smith in a foreclosure auction. Staff photo by Robert Lowell