BIDDEFORD — For years, people have said that the development of Biddeford’s mill district is just around the corner. Some strides have been made, with the renovation of some of the former mill buildings into residential space and a mix of commercial uses including offices, retail and light industrial, but much of the mill space remains empty.
Now, a new developer has big plans for the renovation of the Lincoln Mill, and this could provide the tipping point for much further development of the mill district and the revitalization of Biddeford’s downtown.
On Wednesday, representatives for Atlantic Holdings, LLC will appear before the city planning board to present plans for a $50 million investment to rehabilitate the Lincoln Mill.
The Lincoln Hotel & Lofts, located at 17 Lincoln St., would include approximately 100 market-rate apartments, an 80-room boutique hotel, a rooftop pool with a bar, two restaurants with leading signature chefs, a 5,000-square-foot event venue with four additional meetings rooms, and a 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the art fitness facility for use by both apartment residents and hotel guests.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring and be completed in 2017.
Dependent on approval of the plans by the planning board, Atlantic Holdings intends to purchase the property from current owner Odyssey Properties, LLC in January, said Tim Harrington, principal of Atlantic Holdings, which is based in Kennebunkport.
Harrington’s company owns numerous businesses in the region. These include nine hotels and resorts that make up the Kennebunkport Resort Collection. He has also owned the Five Points Shopping Center for several years and made a number of improvements to that center.
“What drew us to this project is way beyond the bricks and mortar of the building itself, it is the spirit of community and cooperation every step along the way from city leaders,” said Harrington. “I really don’t think I’ve ever been as excited about a project as this one.”
“I’ve been watching downtown Biddeford for quite a while,” said Harrington. He said his attorney and bank are located in the city. “I frequent it quite often. I love the mills.”
He said he wants to be a part of the continued revitalization of the mill district, like Doug Sanford, owner of the Pepperell Mill Campus, which includes the North Dam Mill, the most developed mill property.
Last year, said Harrington, he tried to build a hotel at the Pepperell Mill Campus, but there wasn’t enough parking, so that project fell through.
Then, he turned to the Lincoln Mill.
“The Lincoln Mill is so impressive,” said Harrington. “It’s beautiful.”
He said he thinks his hotel will be the first of many in the area.
Harrington said he’s spoken with representatives of the University of New England and believes from those conversations that parents and others visiting the school would stay at a local hotel. In addition, he said he thinks that vendors, family members of patients and others associated with Southern Maine Health Care would also make use of additional nearby lodging.
That doesn’t include tourists and new visitors to the area, he said.
Harrington said his project would not have gone through without the removal of the former Maine Energy Recovery Company waste-to-energy incinerator purchased and closed by the city in 2012 and the site cleared in 2013.
However, he said, there was a silver lining to the incinerator that virtually stopped development in Biddeford’s downtown and mill district for more than 25 years.
“It stopped all development,” said Harrington, “including bad development.”
So the beautiful, historic buildings of the area remain.
“This residential and hotel development is exactly what downtown Biddeford needs to honor its legacy as a prosperous hub,” said Economic and Community Development Director Daniel Stevenson. “It will become a vital part of this emerging destination for visitors and residents that will draw even more artists, galleries and restaurants to round out a true downtown experience.”
“The economic footprint of the Lincoln Hotel & Lofts is substantial,” he said. “In addition to new jobs, the apartments will bring residents who will become part of the social fabric of the neighborhood while the steady stream of visitors and hotel guests will help attract multiple other businesses that will strengthen the community further.”
It will also add value to remaining property in the area like the site owned by the city at 3 Lincoln St., the former site of the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste-to-energy incinerator.
Stevenson added that “the city worked diligently to help this project along.” Development is “not haphazard.”
Significant projects like this “demonstrated Biddeford is on the right economic path and that Biddeford is leading the way,” he said
The proposed project “is transformational,” said Mayor Alan Casavant in a telephone interview last month. “It’s going to transform the way Biddeford is going to go.”
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].
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