Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I I N O. X I I J U N E 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 16 L E W I S T O N / A U B U R N / W E S T E R N M A I N E 1. 60 Lowell St. The 50,000-square-foot mill building already had some solid tenants when Wilbur bought it, including the University of Maine at Augusta and Community Dental. She has space ranging from small offices to expansive mill-style units available and plans to reno- vate to suit as leases are signed. Wilbur, who recently redeveloped a fire station in Lewiston, says Rumford appealed to her because she likes communities that are open to new people and new ideas as they strengthen their economy. There's another draw, too. "It's a beautiful part of the state," she says. "It's one of those interesting communities where it's just a part of the natural beauty that surrounds it." The town provided with two loans, for $40,000 each, to pay for soft costs and repairs and life and safety upgrades. She doesn't have a timeline on the redevelopment, mainly because it's tough to find contractors. "It's a big project," she says. 2. 50 Prospect Ave. Just off the island, where U.S. Route 2 takes a sharp turn west along the Androscoggin, a new 63-room Best Western Plus hotel is slated to open later this summer. The project, by investment group Penacook Falls Investment LTD, began three years ago on the site of a former lumber yard. It's been supported by a loan backed by Finance Authority of Maine and $125,000 from Community Concepts Finance Corp. The hotel is being built by Lund Inn Construction LLC and will be managed by Bedford, N.H.-based Melan Hotel Group. O'Keefe says the hotel is sorely needed. F O C U S This is one of the last big development opportunities in Maine. — George O'Keefe Rumford economic development director Rumford Falls 50 Prospect Ave. 43 Exchange St. 65 Canal St. 103–109 Congress St. 60 River St. 72 Congress St. 132–136 Congress St. 60 Lowell St. VA clinic, Brookfield battery site 1 4 3 5 9 6 8 7 2 10 R u m f o r d 1 2 P H O T O / G O O G L E E A R T H Rumford is seeing a resurgence of its downtown, including the development of a hotel and the emer- gence of new retailers. HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I t's not possible to talk about downtown Rumford development from behind a desk. No, the only way to do it is on foot. As George O'Keefe, economic development direc- tor, charges out of town hall onto Congress Street to give Mainebiz the tour, he rattles off the numbers and highlights from 2020 alone: a $7 million downtown infrastructure upgrade, a major solar project with EMI, scads of commercial property redevelopments, more than half a dozen new businesses downtown. "is is one of the last big development opportuni- ties in Maine," he says. A lot of developers have already figured that out in the past two years, after more than a decade of drag brought on by the Great Recession and uncertainty about mill towns. Rumford was built around its paper mill. And the in- town mill, acquired by N.D. Paper in 2018, is going strong. But the town isn't putting all its eggs in one basket. e $7 million infrastructure upgrade completed last year, which includes streets, sidewalks, lighting, as well as the solar project, which will produce 5.1 million kilowatt hours a year, are only a couple of the ways the town is luring investment. e downtown commercial district, with 33 contributing buildings, was also put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, opening buildings up to using historic renovation tax credits. While Rumford was built for the mill, it's now only 10% of the town's tax base, O'Keefe says. O'Keefe credits a community-wide effort, begin- ning with Envision Rumford, formed a decade ago to bring economic development to the town of 5,600. "ere's absolutely been a very strong effort by stakeholders — business owners, citizens — speak- ing with strong voices about what they want for the future of the town," he says. at effort gathered steam in 2018, when the town made economic development director a full- time position, and O'Keefe was hired. In 2019, the town contracted with the Biddeford marketing agency Kenneally and Co. "We're looking for young entrepreneurial fami- lies," says Jennifer Kenneally, co-owner. She cites the appeal of the combination of the downtown upgrades, a solid outdoors culture and an Oxford County median home price of $220,900 (compared to the state median of $276,000). As she stands on busy Congress Street on a recent Friday, she says progress is obvious. "All these little businesses keep multiplying." Kara Wilbur, who in December bought the mill building that houses the River Valley Technology Center, at 60 Lowell St., agrees. e town had energy and a lot to offer. "People here know it, and I feel it, too," she says. Since she bought the building, she adds, "it's become very evident that Rumford has a really great dynamic between elected officials, staff, and the com- munity. ey're all pulling in one direction." Here are just some of the highlights, many of which benefitted from the town's Economic Development Incentive fund and other incentives: RUMFORD rising With hotel development and stores filling storefronts, the town is showing it's about more than the mill B y M a u r e e n M i l l i k e n

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