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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 25 JA N UA R Y 2 1 , 2 0 1 9 F O C U S C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T Development multiplied Others agree. e city approved $30.5 million in construction in 2018, a total of 346,265 square feet in commercial and multi-family residential projects. at's three times the 10-year average of $8.5 million per year. "ere are definitely development opportunities here," says Matthew Gurney of Coastal Maine General Contracting Inc., which is building a $2.5 million First National branch. e journey of Gurney's company itself speaks to those opportunities. Founded in Machias, the company established an Ellsworth office to leverage the city's growth. "We decided about four years ago we needed to do something to grow our business, and not have long stretches with little work," Gurney says. "We were in Ellsworth a lot anyway for materials and supplies, and doing lot of work on MDI. at spilled over to Ellsworth, Hancock, Trenton. A lot of folks who live in the small communities shop and do busi- ness in Ellsworth, so it has a lot of pull. Because of its size, it attracts people for work. So we have growth in this area." Wallace Events was similarly attracted to site its expansion, adding three buildings totaling 20,000 square feet to its existing 10,000-square-foot facility in Ellsworth Commerce Park. Ellsworth is central to the company's work throughout the region, says Jake Taylor, owner and general manager of Wallace Events. "Ellsworth is a business-friendly environment and community," Taylor says. As a regional nexus, Ellsworth provides an easy reach to service points in all directions. "Ellsworth's geography is a big advantage," he adds. Voting with their feet Ellsworth is leveraging its location as a crossroads. It's on the Route 1, Route 1A and Route 3 corridors, ...and imagines what could be. Building Business and Community for Over 40 Years The Dunham Group has a vision and a purpose. Dunham brokers rally ideas, people, and resources to create dynamic neighborhoods in and around Greater Portland. A vacant building becomes a boutique hotel. An Old Port ofce building becomes a vibrant retail block. Our brokers work together to re-envision and repurpose underutilized properties to create the places where you want to be. The Dunham Group takes what is... Portland, ME dunhamgroup.com 207.773.7100 Local Knowledge. Regional Focus. Global Reach. Since 1989 Local Decisions Be Budget! 800.924.4229 www.bdtme.com Problems Solved. Budget Document Technology is an industry leader in providing digital solutions for document creation, production, and distribution. Helping Maine get business done! • Multi-functional Color & B&W Copiers • Printers & Scanners • Postage & Mailing Equipment • Software & Network Solutions • Managed Print Services C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » A lot of folks who live in the small communities shop and do business in Ellsworth, so it has a lot of pull. Because of its size, it attracts people for work. So we have growth in this area. — Matthew Gurney Coastal Maine General Contracting Inc.

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