A business in the medical field has reached a tentative deal to buy a six-acre property on Route 1 in Scarborough that’s now owned by the Maine Department of Transportation.

The wooded lot near the Interstate 295 connector is in a residential zone, but is across the road from Maine Medical Center’s Scarborough campus and a district that was created to draw biomedical and biotech businesses.

The property recently went under contract, according to the MDOT and its broker. They did not identify the potential buyer. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the list price was $695,000.

The potential buyer is from the Portland area but would be new to Scarborough, said Harvey Rosenfeld, president and executive director of the Scarborough Economic Development Corp. The property would be used for a medical purpose and fit in well with the medical center across the street, he said.

Rosenfeld said his organization began pursuing a zoning change for the property, which is bordered by Elmwood Avenue and Greenacres Lane, after learning that the land would be up for sale. Rezoning the property to join the adjacent business, research and office zone would be useful even if the current deal falls through, he said.

Rosenfeld expects the matter to go before the Town Council on Oct. 6. The proposed change would have to go to the Planning Board and back to the Town Council for further consideration and public hearings.

In addition to the Maine Med campus, the area near the property is home to other health care-related organizations. The Foundation for Blood Research is nearby, as are medical offices and the Elevation Center.

It will likely be a few months before the deal on the property can close, said Andrew Johnson, property manager for the MDOT. He said the site was put up for sale after an inquiry from the potential buyer.

The property drew strong interest from potential users, who were attracted by its proximity to the Maine Medical Center campus, said Chris Paszyc of CBRE/The Boulos Co.

“It’s such a high-visibility location. You know real estate, it’s all location, location, location,” he said.

Rosenfeld said the property is probably the last large undeveloped parcel directly on Route 1. Over the years, Rosenfeld has fielded inquiries about the parcel, but the MDOT wasn’t interested in selling.

 

Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be contacted at 791-6383 or at: akim@pressherald.com

 

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