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V O L . X X X I N O. X I I I J U N E 1 6 , 2 0 2 5 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 F O C U S Of the total units, 60 will be income-restricted and 22 will be offered at market rates. Lewiston- based Hebert Construction, which has built several housing and com- mercial projects in the region, expects to complete the final three buildings by the end of October. Around the corner, at 84 Walnut St. and 198 Blake St., Hebert wrapped up two public housing complexes in 2023; a total of 18 apartments. e buildings received Passive House certification, and solar roof panels generate 50% of each building's energy needs. Next up for the housing authority is the Dewitt development on Pine Street, across from Kennedy Park and Lewiston City Hall. is summer, Falmouth- based Penobscot General Contractors will demolish the former Lewiston Sun Journal building to create two buildings totaling more than 96,000 square feet. e buildings will have 104 apartments, 83 of which will be affordable. e first floor of each build will have commer- cial space. Expected completion date is December 2027. Lewiston Housing Authority is awaiting funding for another 200 afford- able and senior apartments to be located at 860 Lisbon St. and 61 Ash St. A range of developers Former Auburn mayor Jason Levesque is planning to build 304 studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments in two six-story buildings, totaling 217,000 square feet on Lowell Street in Lewiston. Levesque says that while Lowell Street Lofts will be aimed at those making 120% or more of the area median income, "All are welcome, there will be no income restrictions or caps. is is 'attainable luxury' housing." He plans to include a fitness space and a clubhouse with two independent restaurants. Scarborough-based Landry/ French Construction has signed on and the targeted finish date is June 2027. Smaller projects are being under- taken too, which promote innovative paths to affordable home ownership. Amy Smith with Healthy Homeworks educates and mentors aspiring home- owners and is working to create condos attainable to households earning $50,000 to $80,000, or 80% to 120% of the area median income. "We completed our pilot property, fully converting a triple-decker and a single-family house into four attain- able condominium units. e three triple-decker units sold for $149,000 each, and all buyers were able to secure conventional financing and insurance," Smith says. Smith notes that retrofitting aging housing stock is expensive. e average cost to acquire and reno- vate one unit in a triple-decker is $200,000, and the resulting market value is $150,000. Donors have helped cover the shortfall, but Smith says, "Our long- term solution is to work with the state to create grant programs that will cover the gap. LD 1167, which proposes a 15-home pilot with an $80,000 per unit grant, was intro- duced this session and received unanimous bipartisan support to advance to appropriations." Raise-Op Another housing advocate in the region is Craig Saddlemire. His Raise-Op program creates cooper- atively-owned affordable housing and his latest projects are the Passive House complexes at 198 Blake and 84 Walnut streets in Lewiston. Raise-Op owns and manages the 15-unit building where residents are the decision makers and own shares in the corporation. In the 18-unit building, residents are invited to serve on the board and the com- plex is managed by the Lewiston Housing Authority. Saddlemire serves on the city's housing committee, which he says is focusing on stimulating the develop- ment of starter homes. "e development of new rental housing, both market-rate and affordable, is finally gaining trac- tion, but the creation of more starter homes is moving more slowly," Saddlemire says. "We need both housing types. When people talk about economic mobility, housing is a big part of that." Tina Fischer, Mainebiz staff writer, can be reached at tfischer @ mainebiz.biz » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E The Wedgewood apartment complex includes 82 affordable units in nine buildings spread over an entire city block in Lewiston. The project includes the renovation of the former Wedgewood mansion. Lewiston Housing Authority is demolishing a vacant Lewiston Sun Journal building on Pine St., across from city hall, to create the Dewitt complex. Two new buildings will have first-floor commercial space and 104 apartments, the majority of which will be priced as affordable. P H O T O / T I N A F I S C H E R P H O T O / T I N A F I S C H E R

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