Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. I I I S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S 14 Loans & Leases Financial Record-Keeping Payroll Services Profitability Consulting Tax Preparation & Planning Appraisals Estate Planning Beginning Farmer Programs Crop Insurance Nobody finances agriculture like Farm Credit East. Farm Credit East was made in agriculture – built for its unique credit needs and owned by the customers we serve. This explains why no other lender offers more ag financial products, dedicated services or greater expertise. Or, works harder to achieve your goals. We are mission-driven. We prove it every day. OUR BUSINESS IS TO LEND YOU MONEY. OUR MISSION IS TO GROW YOUR SUCCESS. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E L ike harness racers driving down the stretch, some companies big and small are racing to e Downs, a new mixed-use development in Scarborough. Crossroads Holdings Inc., formed by two sets of local brothers to buy the 525-acre site for $6.7 million in January 2018, aims to create a "live-work-play" com- munity with residential, commercial and recreational features, including 10 miles of new trails. Linking the residential development on the Route 1 side and the commercial development toward Payne Road, a town center near the existing Scarborough Downs racetrack and grandstand will include a sports complex and a public park. at will serve as a new anchor for the 20,000-population town. "It's a legacy thing for us, right in our home town," says Crossroads Holdings principal Roccy Risbara. "is is going to take a long time, but I'm pleased with the progress we've made, and the big users we've attracted so far will help us set the tone and the pace of the project." at includes Bedford, Mass.-based ESG Associates, which plans to put up a sports complex that could include pools, ice rinks and indoor and outdoor fields, as per an agreement signed last year. Still to be decided are whether the town will opt to become the lead tenant with a community center inside or build a standalone facility on its own. As for the Scarborough Downs racing facility leased by the Terry family that sold the property to Crossroads in 2018, Risbara says they'll continue to operate it in 2020 with an option to continue in 2021. "Structurally it's sound, but rehabbing it will be a challenge," he says of the grandstand. ey'll figure that out later as WEX Inc. proceeds on its planned $50 mil- lion operations center near the track and grandstand. In January, the Portland-based financial technol- ogy provider signed a deal to have the center built to accommodate its growing workforce. e facility, which will consolidate six South Portland offices under one roof and include a cafeteria, fitness center and access to nearby day care, will hold up to 1,200 employees. 'Scalable modern facility' Safet Cobaj, WEX's vice president for global real estate, told Mainebiz that the company had put out a request for proposals for the development of an operational campus in greater Portland, and that the criteria consisted of location and accessibility, expansion potential, availability of nearby housing, amenity space and overall cost. "e objective is to combine our operational group in a scalable modern facility," he says. "We Reshaping SCARBOROUGH At The Downs, a 'live-work-play' community springs to life B y R e n e e C o R d e s

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