Design Unveiled for Brunswick Development

By DENNIS HOEY Staff Writer —

A downtown development project will create dozens of retail and service jobs and generate substantial property-tax revenue for Brunswick, helping to offset the economic loss when the Brunswick Naval Air Station closes in 2011, say state and local officials.

John Richardson, Maine’s economic development commissioner, said the Maine Street Station project will create about 200 retail and service jobs while providing the town with an estimated $500,000 a year in property taxes.

"We all know what we are in for. It will get worse before it gets better," said Richardson, referring to the pending base closure. "But this is the type of economic development model I want to see as we move toward the (base) closure date. I don’t think we are talking about anything other than success here."

A ceremony was held on Friday to recognize the impending start of the $23 million Maine Street Station project and let the developer, JHR Development Inc., release its final design plans.

Maine Street Station will have 106,000 square feet of office, retail, residential and restaurant space, a boarding platform for passenger rail service, three small parks and enough street-level parking for 260 cars.

The project includes a 75-room inn facing the Bowdoin College campus and might include a cinema.

With the 4-acre site cleaned up – coal ash must be removed – construction could start in April.

J. Hilary Rockett Jr. and Joe Thibert, partners in the Maine Street Station project, signed a development agreement a year ago promising to work with the town to produce a design that suits the character of downtown Brunswick.

The design introduced Friday is not likely to change significantly before it goes to the Brunswick Planning Board and Maine Department of Transportation for final approval next year.

Those who want more specifics about future tenants will have to wait. Though Rockett said there has been substantial interest in the project, tenants won’t commit until significant progress has been made.

On Thursday night, JHR Development introduced its final plan to residents. About 30 people attended the meeting, and though concerns were expressed about the impact traffic would have on nearby neighborhoods, the plan is not likely to change, said Mike Lyne, project manager for JHR Development.

Officials applauded the developers for coming up with a design that fits downtown Brunswick.

"I know there are a lot of people in this town who are really excited about this project," said Joanne King, chairwoman of the Town Council.

Lyne said the project will not have a stand-alone train station, but will provide for an enclosed or sheltered boarding platform with a ticket counter for train riders.

Gordon Page, vice president and director of the Maine Eastern Railroad, said a station could one day serve passengers traveling between Portland and Brunswick, though Page and others do not know when or if Amtrak service will ever become a reality.

Maine Eastern Railroad operates seasonal passenger service from Brunswick to Rockland.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

(c) 2007 Portland Press Herald. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.