A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for the new apartment complex. From left to right are Jean Burr, of Katahdin Property Management; Sally Costello, Brunswick’s director of economic and community development; Andrew Cook, of Mascoma Bank; Doug Smith and Dave Holman, of Katahdin Property Management; Town Councilor Nathaniel Shed; and Clay Maker, co-president of Penobscot General Contractors. Jason Claffey / The Times Record
Construction started Tuesday on an $18 million apartment complex in Brunswick Landing that officials hailed as the most eco-friendly in town.
The 63-unit building off Admiral Fitch Avenue will have advanced heat pumps, electric-vehicle chargers, underground parking and possibly solar panels. A total of 20% of the units will be reserved for affordable housing; rents are projected to range from $1,300-$2,500.
“These are not luxury condos for the rich and famous,” said property developer Dave Holman, of Katahdin Property Management, during a groundbreaking ceremony. “These are apartments for working people.”
Because of the lower rents, the Town Council supported the development with a credit-enhancement agreement that will reduce property taxes — the first time it has done so for a development with affordable housing.
“That’s what makes this unique and what we hope to replicate with other projects so we can get more affordable housing in the community,” said Sally Costello, Brunswick’s director of economic and community development. “It’s a prototype for the kind of housing we want to see here.”
The quasi-state agency Efficiency Maine is also supporting the development by possibly contributing up to $200,000 for energy efficiency, including variable refrigerant flow heat pumps.
The apartment complex will be four floors, with a roof deck, sauna, gym and elevator. Thirty-six parking spaces will be in the basement level, as will eight electric-vehicle chargers and bicycle racks. Another 36 parking spaces will be on a surface lot; Holman said all the parking spaces will be wired in preparation for the possible installation of more electric-vehicle chargers.
A rendering of the new apartment complex being built at Brunswick Landing. Courtesy of Dave Holman
“It’s different from the style of development that we see a lot around Maine where it’s sprawling out,” Holman said. “This is more of a Portland, urban-style project that will be pedestrian friendly.”
The basement parking lot will especially reduce the footprint on the 2.5-acre property, according to Holman.
“We’re saving a lot of this land from getting plowed up,” he said.
The building will have high-quality spray foam and cellulose for insulation, along with large, airtight windows, Holman said.
Falmouth-based Penobscot General Contractors is tasked with building the complex, and Mascoma Bank is financing the development. Construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.
“We’re excited to partner with the town and provide workforce and affordable housing,” Holman said. “That’s really hard to do. It was two years in the making.”
Town Councilor Nathaniel Shed attended the groundbreaking and said he hopes to see similar housing developments planned down the road.
“It’s a great public-private mixture,” Shed said. “It’s what we’re looking for.”
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