BIDDEFORD — For more than seven years, Economic and Community Development Director Daniel Stevenson has had a hand in guiding Biddeford’s growth, but Oct. 25 is his last day with the city where he has made a mark and on Oct. 30 he returns to his roots, his hometown of Westbrook.

Stevenson was hired Thursday to fill a restructured position as Westbrook’s director of Business and Community Relations.

“The newly created position offers a lot of excitement and opportunity,” Stevenson said in a telephone interview on Monday. Although, he said, leaving Biddeford to go to Westbrook “was a really hard decision for me to make.”

But, he said, “Westbrook’s my hometown, that city is dear to me — just like Biddeford is dear to me,” .

Stevenson said he felt he did some good work for the city of Biddeford during his tenure there, and he’s certain that the city will progress even further under whoever replaces him.

Hired in early 2010, Stevenson had a number of hurdles to face as the nation was still in the throes of a recession. While there was some growth taking place in Biddeford, it was slow going for a while.

As the economy improved, so did the city’s fortunes. During Stevenson’s time with the city, he oversaw the filling of Biddeford’s business and industrial parks, growth in the downtown and mill district, and more.

One of the changes he said he is most proud of is helping with the sale of Maine Energy Recovery Company, a  waste-to-energy incinerator located virtually smack-dab in the center of Biddeford’s downtown and mill district. The incinerator was blamed by many as the reason for little growth in those areas for decades.

Since the sale, more development in the mills has taken place such as the creation of apartments, a restaurant, manufacturing businesses, office space and other commercial enterprises at mill developer Doug Sanford’s Pepperell Mill Campus. The Loft at Saco falls, the second renovated apartment complex in the Riverdam Mill, opened in 216. And renovation of the Lincoln Mill into apartments, restaurants, a standalone hotel and more — an estimated $65 million project to be constructed in two phases— is underway. The planned completion date of Phase 1 is Dec. 2019.

In addition to the Lincoln Mill redevelopment project, some of the other activities Stevenson has helped shepherd through, but are not yet complete, include creation of the RiverWalk that starts at Mechanics Park and runs along the Saco River through the mill district, the beautification of Main Street, with cobblestone crosswalks and flower planters; a facade program, to help existing downtown businesses improve the exterior of their properties, expanded commercial growth in the downtown, not to mention assisting with the deal to bring a unified York County courthouse to Biddeford..

Advertising for someone to fill Stevenson’s shoes has already begun, said City Manager James Bennett by telephone on Monday. Resumes for a new director of Economic and Community Development for  Biddeford, “Maine’s fasted growing community” — according to the want ad — are due Oct. 26.

Bennett said he’s hoping to have a good, qualified applicant in place by the end of the year, as there’s a lot going on in the city. But, he said he is sorry to see Stevenson go.

“There are a handful of really good economic development (people) in the state,” Bennett said. “Dan is one them,” and added that Stevenson’s knowledge of how things at the state impact the local level is “unparalleled.”

“I’m disappointed he’s leaving but I certainly understand it,” Bennett said.

Biddeford’s loss is Westbrook’s gain.

“Based just on his background and meeting and talking with him, I think he’s going to be a great match” for Westbrook, said that community’s City Administrator Jerre  Bryant by phone on Tuesday. Like Biddeford,  Westbrook is an old mill town that is hoping to redevelop its former mills and downtown. Bryant said he hopes Stevenson will do for Westbrook what he’s done for Biddeford.

Of the pool of 12 applicants for the position, Bryant said, Stevenson was one of five finalists who were called in for interviews. Based on Stevenson’s experience, his interview, and his ties to the community “he was clearly the top choice,” Bryant said.

 — Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be reached at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].