BIDDEFORD — A local architect believes so strongly in the revitalization of Biddeford’s downtown that he and partners have purchased several buildings in the area that they have developed or are working to develop.
Developer and architect Caleb Johnson’s latest acquisitions are the former Bank of America building on Main Street and the old court house on Washington Street.
The Waterville native moved to Biddeford in 2000 with his wife after touring Biddeford and the University of New England campus where Dana Johnson would be going to school for occupational therapy.
The couple liked what they saw and decided to make the city their new home.
After settling in, Caleb Johnson started a job at an architectural firm in Portland.
When he went out on his own, he set up shop in Biddeford “and never looked back,” he said.
One of the goals of his firm, said Johnson, is to be part of the revitalization of Biddeford.
The architect has put his money where his mouth is.
He and business partner Richard Levy purchased the Bank of America building and its associated properties at 208 Main St. and 224 Main St. last month for $320,000.
Although the sale isn’t final yet, Johnson and another partner, David Flood, who together own the real estate development firm THREAD, are also in the process of purchasing the former Biddeford district courthouse at 27 Washington Street. Their bid was $150,000.
Johnson began investing in the city’s downtown about five years ago when he and his wife purchased two commercial properties in downtown Biddeford, one at 136 Alfred St. and another at 57 Jefferson St.
In February 2010, he and Flood purchased 265 Main St.
After many thousands of dollars in renovations, the building is now home to the hip and trendy coffee shop Elements: Books Coffee Beer, the gallery for arts organization Engine, Johnson’s firm, Caleb Johnson Architects + Builders and four apartments.
When Johnson decided to make a play for the Bank of America building it was sort of a spur of the moment decision.
He said when he learned of the auction he thought he would just go and observe. Then he learned of other developers’ plans for major renovations to some of the buildings in the city’s nearby mill district.
Most significantly, Atlantic Holdings, LLC received Planning Board approval for his $50 million dollar redevelopment plan of the Lincoln Mill that includes a hotel, apartments and two restaurants.
With it’s proximity to the Lincoln Mill, City Hall and the intersection of Lincoln, Adams and Main streets, Johnson said he views the location of the property he and Levy now own as a prime site.
“It marks the heart of the downtown,” he said.
Johnson said he envisions using some of the property for a city plaza and/or other civic ventures.
The building itself, he said, is an ideal location for a night spot that “would attract people from Biddeford and outside of the city.”
If he wants to take his wife to a nice restaurant, said Johnson, he now travels to Portland.
The type of business he envisions would make the 25-minute car ride unnecessary.
While plans for other new restaurants are in the works, Johnson said “I’m not worried at all” that there will be room for yet another restaurant.
“With the city’s proximity to Portland and Portsmouth,” he said, “Biddeford has an opportunity for growth.”
He said the plan now is to “draw up a vision of what it looks like from the inside and outside” and then solicit bids for a tenant.
Plans for the former courthouse are less ambitious, said Johnson.
He said he plans to keep expenses down and conduct only the minimal repairs and maintenance. He said he thinks a public market would be a good fit for the site, at least for the time being.
Flood, Johnson’s partner in the property, said they decided to vie for the building in an online auction earlier this month because “it’s a solid building” that was acquired “at a good price.”
Like Johnson, Flood thinks Biddeford is approaching or already on the cusp of a redevelopment boom and that “we’ll be thinking in a few years that we got a deal” on the property.
“We’re in this for the long haul,” said Johnson.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less