AL,

THIS STORY NEEDS SOME WORK. IT’S A BIT JUMBLED RIGHT NOW. IT’S AS IF YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT STORIES MASHED TOGETHER HERE – ONE ABOUT BERUBE BUILDERS GOING FORWARD WITH A SUBDIVISION AND ANOTHER ABOUT A SLOW DOWN IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION. THE FACT THAT SO MUCH OF THE STORY IS DEVOTED TO THE BERUBE PROJECT IS CONFUSING BECAUSE IT IS COUNTER TO THE PREMISE OF THE STORY. PLUS, THEY WON’T EVEN RETURN YOUR CALLS.

THE MOST INTERESTING STUFF HERE IS ABOUT THE SCARBOROUGH PLANNING BOARD NOT MEETING BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING TO MEET ABOUT. YOU’VE GOT A GOOD STORY ABOUT A SLOW DOWN IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOME MORE PEOPLE ABOUT THAT. WHAT ARE SOME PROJECTS ON HOLD. LET’S TALK TO SOME DEVELOPERS WHO ARE HOLDING OFF ON PROJECTS.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF LOCAL DEVELOPERS TO TALK TO HERE – RISBARA BROS., CHAMBERLAIN BROS., THE MAIETTAS. HOW IS THIS SLOW DOWN AFFECTING PEOPLE?

IF THE BERUBE THING IS SEPARATE, BREAK IT OUT AND MAKE IT ANOTHER STORY.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

BRENDAN

Despite a development slowdown in Scarborough, and bucking a national trend of dropping property values, Norman Berube & Builders Inc. is proposing a subdivision of single-family homes on West Beech Ridge Road in Scarborough.

The builders hope to create 31 lots on 65 acres of land known as the Waterhouse property.

Berube Builders is the only company proposing a “significant” subdivision project, said Dan Bacon, Scarborough town planner. “We’ve had a few land swaps, but really nothing too significant,” Bacon said.

Scarborough has seen its explosion in development during the past few years dwindle considerably in the past few months.

In fiscal year 2006-2007, the Planning Board approved 34 development projects. That number dropped to 24 in 2007-2008.

“I do think it has something to do with the national economy,” said Assistant Town Planner Jay Chace. “There really hasn’t been much on the Planning Board agendas.”

Scarborough canceled a Nov. 17 Planning Board meeting because no items were on the agenda.

Scarborough is seeing a drop in small retail and small office developments, said Scarborough Economic Development Corporation President Harvey Rosenthal.

“That seems to be the case right now,” Rosenfeld said. “I think what’s happening is a lot of people who were going to possibly enlarge their businesses are holding off and waiting to see what’s going to happen with the economy next.”

Scarborough is not the only town seeing a dearth of development. South Portland watched its building permits drop from 825 in 2007 to 761 in ////2007///?////. That includes all permits for single-family housing and commercial construction.

“We still have projects, and people are coming in for permits and coming to the Planning Board meetings for approvals,” said South Portland’s planning director, Tex Haueser. “It is definitely a bit slower than before.”

Not knowing that there’s money to borrow is part of the problem, said Bob Nadeau, vice president and commercial lender at Gorham Savings Bank in Scarborough.

The national media is reporting that lenders are freezing loans and that there isn’t money available after the sub-prime mortgage collapse, but that’s not true in Maine, Nadeau said.

“The banks in Maine do not have a ///liquidating////IS THIS THE RIGHT WORD?/// problem and are actively lending,” Nadeau said. “If people are listening to the national news, they are hearing that lenders are freezing credit, but we have money to lend out. I know our competitors have money to lend out and there is still money to be had.”

That could be what Berube is taking advantage of, Rosenfeld said, adding that right now could be a good time to invest in development because interest rates are low and building materials are cheaper.

///THE FOLLOWING STUFF DOESN’T SEEM TO FIT WITH WHAT’S ABOVE IT////Although Berube’s is a significant proposal, its sketch plan submitted recently proved ///too sketchy///THIS PLAY ON WORDS ISN’T WORKING//// for the Scarborough Planning Board, which has asked the company to provide more information.

According to Chace, the town would like to see a more comprehensive plan that details how the company will handle building near stream crossings in the area. The board also wants better definition of the project’s open space, Chace said.

“The applicant must display a conventional layout,” Chace said. “When an applicant submits for a subdivision they need to take their growth parcel into account. They basically need to show that they can fit 31 lots into the 65 acres while meeting town guidelines.”

When a builder submits plans for a subdivision, Scarborough requires that at least 50 percent of the lots have open land.

Representatives with Berube Brothers could not be reached for comment.

The West Beech Ridge Road area is zoned residential and farming, and the project would not require any contract zoning, Chace said.

Berube Builders could present an updated site plan at the Jan. 12 meeting, Chace said. “The applicant can take the comments by the Planning Board and make the adjustments he might feel necessary,” Chace said.

If the board OKs Berube Builders’ preliminary plan, then the company must get final plan approval before any building can begin.////

Berube Builders is forging ahead with developments and land acquisitions despite the current economic slowdown.

At a real estate auction on Oct. 3, Berube Builders outbid nine others for a 23-acre property at 35 Paucek Road, Buxton, known as J’Aime Kennels. The company bought the property for $217,500 and intends to close the deal in the next 45 days.

The property is the former site of a notorious puppy mill, where 250 dogs were seized in the state’s largest animal-cruelty case.

Susan Berube, president of the building company, said at the time she eventually wants to build seven or eight houses on the site. The company is a general contractor for single-family homes.

“I think it’s a great location,” she said.

The rural site, located at the end of a dirt road, is zoned village, meaning it can be used for a variety of uses.

“The price was a little higher than we wanted, but it works,” said Norman Berube, Susan Berube’s father and the vice president of the construction company, on auction day.