BRUNSWICK

There are now more than 1,500 jobs — and $350 million in property investment — at Brunswick Landing, site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.

That was the word this week from Steve Levesque, executive director of Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, who reported that companies are continuing to expand at the former naval air station.

Brunswick Landing’s business incubator, TechPlace, is up to 35 companies, and large employers Wayfair and SaviLinx continue to grow and now have 374 and 100 full-time jobs, respectively. Pathways has generated 148 full-time jobs, according to the redevelopment authority.

Between MRRA-controlled property and those owned by others, there are more than 110 private and public entities doing business at Brunswick Landing and Topsham Commerce Park. As of this month, those entities employ approximately 1,210 full-time workers and 292 part-timers.

There are also 120 Maine Army National Guard members and 124 Marine Corps reservists assigned to units at Brunswick Landing.

In addition to Bath Iron Works, businesses recently locating or expanding at the former base include Oaks and Maple Cafe, Sailboat Interiors (Quahog Bay Bedding), Embrace A Vet and Linwood Construction.

“Brunswick Landing continues to expand,” Levesque said.

The redevelopment of the former naval air station has resulted so far in $350 million in private and public-sector investments made into the properties over the past four years. In addition to attracting businesses, there are seven major real estate developers acquiring and redeveloping properties at Brunswick Landing and Topsham Commerce Park.

The redevelopment authority has received approximately 80 percent — or 1,775 acres — of the 2,100 acres it is slated to receive from the Navy. Holding up transfer of some of the remaining property are environmental issues related to contaminants associated with firefighting foam that can affect drinking water. The national issue poses a threat to groundwater at any airport that has firefighting training and uses fire suppressant foam.

The authority’s executive committee recently awarded a contract to assess and mitigate the impact of any such contaminants at the former base.

While the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a health advisory as a result of the contaminants, it hasn’t created cleanup standards. Levesque said there are 50 states looking at 50 different sets of standards, which poses a challenge for Department of Defense installations in managing cleanup efforts.

However, testing showed that no contaminants at Brunswick Landing reached a public water supply. Drinking water is supplied by the Brunswick and Topsham Water District.

“The bottom line is that it has slowed down property transfers,” Levesque said.

In the meantime, a lease agreement has been reached to transfer properties from the Navy to the redevelopment authority that may put the buildings back in use before the parcels change hands.

Levesque said the Navy has agreed to lease the properties to MRRA, which would then lease them out to businesses, with an option to buy.

There are three properties at the former public works compound that are highly sought after, Levesque said, and should be ready to lease by the summer. He said there are several businesses that are ready to take up residence at the properties as soon as MRRA can get possession of them.

Other land and buildings are being transferred to Southern Maine Community College, Bowdoin College, the town of Brunswick and Family Focus.

dmoore@timesrecord.com