A block of 32 affordable housing units will be updated in the new year.

A new proposal from Bateman Partners Developers could expand downtown Biddeford’s affordable housing profile in the next few years.

In a press release provided to the Courier, Bateman Partners said they are aiming to build 60 new affordable apartments at 641 Main St., about a half a mile from Biddeford High School.

Known as Forest Green, the apartments would be located on a parcel of land owned by Bateman Partners, where they currently have another family housing project.

When the company acquired the existing project approximately 10 years ago, they also acquired 6 acres of residual land that came with the property.

“We always envisioned doing an additional project there,” Bateman Partners Vice President Nathan Bateman told the Courier.

Other issues came up in the last 10 years, but a couple of months ago, Bateman Partners began thinking about the importance of building more affordable housing in Biddeford.

It was actually articles by local newspapers, including the Courier, that highlighted the importance of affordable housing to Bateman Partners, Bateman said.

“We started digging into it and embracing the leadership from the city of Biddeford,” he said. “Biddeford has been encouraging and embracing affordable units.”

Biddeford Mayor Martin Grohman said the city is starting out the new year strong with affordable housing, continuing to create opportunities for families and individuals to live and thrive in Biddeford.

“Projects like this are what makes sure Biddeford remains a place that everyone can call home,” Grohman told the Courier.

Funded by low-income tax credits from the Maine State Housing Authority, the Forest Green apartments would be one and two-bedroom family units for those earning at or below 60% Area Median Income (AMI) to keep them affordable.

The current AMI in Biddeford is $69,794 according to the City’s municipal website.

Bateman Partners proposed a new project for 60 affordable housing units in Biddeford. Contributed / Bateman Partners

Currently, the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) is a stumbling block for the project, Bateman said. The developers are seeking to rezone the parcel of land that the project would be built on.

At the moment, it is zoned by the SRCC as “limited residential” due to what Bateman says is outdated floodplain zone data.

The area would need to be rezoned as “general development.” Bateman Partners have submitted the rezoning proposal to the SRCC, and hope to work with the commission over the next few months.

“We have accurate data now, and this area is not within the floodplains,” Bateman said. “It’s a very appropriate location for an expansion of the project that’s already there.”

In order to gain low-income tax credit funding, Bateman Partners will submit the project proposal to compete in the upcoming Maine State Housing Authority Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) draft in September.

If the funding is received, Bateman Partners expects to begin construction in 2026.

“Everything we can do to make this happen, we will,” Bateman said.

Bateman Partners is also investing in the Biddeford affordable housing portfolio by renovating 32 affordable elderly and family housing units located in downtown, near Pizza by Alex.

The project, owned by Bateman Partners since the 1980s, is located in a historic building that was converted into affordable housing units.

It hasn’t had any major upgrades since the 1980s, Bateman said, and renovations are long overdue.

Over the next few months, with funding from both low-income tax credits and historic building tax credits, Bateman Partners plan to bring the units up to date and in compliance with Biddeford safety codes.

“We invest in Maine communities for the long term,” Bateman said. “When we wrap this up, almost the entire building will be brand-new.”