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V O L . X X V I I I N O. X I V J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 2 2 10 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E mid-June. Dennett's Wharf, at 15 Sea St., was originally Dennett's Boatyard. It has operated as a res- taurant for over 25 years and has gone through several changes of ownership in recent years. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T Wireless Zone, a Verizon retail store, moved its Ellsworth location to 139 High St. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Midcoast Maine Community Action in Bath received a total of $1.6 million for its Head Start and Early Head Start programs from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families' Office of Head Start. Cross expands in Massachusetts Bangor-based Cross Insurance, a subsidiary of Cross Financial Corp., acquired Northern Benefits of Massachusetts in a move to increase the Maine company's geographic reach and employee benefits expertise. Terms were not disclosed.Northern Benefits, based in Marlborough, Mass., specializes in employee benefits, providing custom- ized benefits brokerage and compliance awareness services to small and mid- sized companies in Massachusetts. UMaine, Wyman's team up on R&D center Wild blueberries will be the focus of study at a new University of Maine research center. e plan is to build a three-acre research and education facil- ity off University Farm Road in Old Town over the coming year through a gift from Wyman's, a Milbridge-based producer of wild blueberry products, to the University of Maine Foundation. Terms of the gift were not provided. e Wyman's Wild Blueberry Research and Innovation Center will aim to develop innovative production techniques and the next generation of wild blueberry industry leaders through greater learn- ing opportunities. Wyman's harvests and processes fruit throughout Downeast and midcoast Maine. e 148-year-old, family-owned company says it is the No. 1 brand of frozen fruit in the nation and distributes wild blueberries globally. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development an- nounced a two-year business devel- opment and marketing campaign to support the revitalization of the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. The campaign, funded through a $400,000 investment included in Gov. Janet Mills' supplemental budget, will focus on drawing new business invest- ment to the Loring Commerce Centre and improving economic activity in central Aroostook County. B I Z M O N E Y Auburn rolls out the welcome mat — and developers are heeding the call B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r C ommercial and residential development is sizzling in Auburn, with the arrival of chain stores, expansion of local factories, and national headlines for the city as America's "YIMBYest," saying "Yes in My Backyard" to new development. Mayor Jason Levesque has aggressively courted develop- ment, challenging developers to build 2,000 new housing units by 2025. He has said his goal for the city of 24,000 is to boost its population by 25%. Now, for the second fiscal year in a row, Auburn has bested its record for permitted construction value and investment, with permits for more than $74 million in construction costs, the city said Thursday. Similarly, the planning and permitting team set a workload record for permitting and inspection. On top of the $74 million is the single largest permit of the year — a new $110 million high school that's currently under construction. Permitted construction for fiscal year 2022 totals $184.5 million when you include the new Edward Little High School, which should be completed for the fall 2023 semester. "Next year is looking strong as well," Eric Cousens, Auburn's director of planning, said in a news release. "If half the projects in current discussion move forward, I'm confident we will see our third consecutive record year." Data from January 2021 through June 2022 show that the city approved 106 new one- and two-family homes, as well as 285 new apartments, for a total of 391 new units. The total indicates progress toward the city's goal of 2,000 new units in five years. "With more than 1,500 new residences in discussion, next year looks strong for continued growth," said Cousens. City Manager Phil Crowell said the growth was deliber- ately planned. "The city's 2019 strategic plan and recently updated comprehensive plan placed high priority and clear focus on issues like housing, workforce development, walkability, recreation and quality of life," he said. The city has handled a record number of permits in four out of the last five years. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Mayor Jason Levesque has aggressively courted development, challenging developers to build 2,000 new housing units by 2025. He has said his goal for the city of 24,000 is to boost its population by 25%. Auburn's new Five Guys restaurant, photographed a few days before its June 6 grand opening, is part of the city's burgeoning development activity. N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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