Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X I X A U G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 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 (12%). e bank has previously said that there are an estimated 7,500 homeless people in Maine and that homelessness increased by 26% statewide in 2013. As many as 250 people stay in homeless shelters for six months or longer. 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 U.S. Cellular built a new cell site in Sullivan that will increase cov- erage in the towns of Sullivan, Hancock, Sorrento, Lamoine, Franklin, Gouldsboro and Bar Harbor. RFB Advertising LLC in Rockland hired Jon Whitney of JW Publishing Inc. in Harrison to publish travelMAINE magazine, a statewide visitor guide. The Community Building Grant Program of the Maine Community Foundation recently awarded 217 grants totaling more than $1.23 million to organiza- tions across Maine. The foundation also awarded $80,000 to support new Thriving in Place planning grants in the Katahdin region and Washington County to help develop programs that will assist people with chronic health conditions stay healthy and in their homes rather than needing hospital or nursing home care. Bar Harbor Bankshares, the par- ent company of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, announced net income of $3.9 million for the second quarter of 2015, representing an increase of $16 thousand or 0.4%, compared with the second quarter of 2014. The bank also reported diluted earnings per share of $0.64 for the quarter, compared with $0.65 for the second quarter of 2014 and that annualized return on average shareholders' equity amounted to 10.31% for the quarter, compared with 11.53% in the second quarter of 2014. The bank's second quarter return on average assets amounted to 1.01%, compared with 1.09% in the second quarter of 2014. Millinocket group forms to boost local economy A new Millinocket economic group has been formed by a private-public partnership between current and former town officials and two repre- sentatives of Maine's forest products industry. e Bangor Daily News reported that the Economic Task Force Group aims to "bring any- thing [to Millinocket] that would provide good-paying jobs and ben- efits," with a focus on manufacturing jobs in the forest products industry, according to John Raymond, one of the group's co-creators. e group includes Millinocket's former and current town managers, two town councilors, Katahdin Timberlands LLC President Marcia A. McKeague and Maine Forest Products Council Executive Director Patrick Strauch. Two potato company workers charged with theft Two employees at the Cyr Potato Corp. in St. David have been charged with stealing and selling roughly $45,000 worth of potatoes to residents and businesses for nearly five years. e Bangor Daily News reported that Paul Gervais, 69, of St. Agatha, and Lloyd Voisine, 61, of Frenchville, both received a summons on Aug. 12 for Class B theft. Citing Cyr Potato officials, state police said Gervais and Voisine were believed to be stealing and selling potatoes to residents and businesses in the St. John Valley. Medway marketing firm wins Katahdin business contest Medway graphic design and mar- keting firm DesignLab is receiv- ing $3,500 in professional services as part of winning first place in the Katahdin Business Plan Challenge. e Maine Small Business Development Centers announced that DesignLab and Allagash Tails, a business owned by Millinocket author Tim Caverly, won first and second place, respectively, in the contest. SBDC sponsored the contest to promote sustainable business growth in the Katahdin Region. DesignLab won first place after being selected by an indepen- dent panel of judges. SBDC said DesignLab is in the process of mov- ing from Medway into a historic three-story building in downtown Millinocket. e marketing firm plans to use the $3,500 in profes- sional services to develop a scalable accounting infrastructure that it said will manage and facilitate business growth. Allagash Tails is receiving $2,500 in professional services, which it will use for copy editing and illus- tration work, among other things. Besides publishing books written by Caverly, the company's owner, the company also provides adult and children's programs that encour- age literacy and exploration of New England's "natural world." 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 Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the Hampden Fire Department $44,888 as part of the Assistance to Firefighter Grant pro- gram to purchase new equipment. The National Parks Service awarded the Aroostook Band of Micmacs $39,926 to support the preservation of tribal land and cultural heritage. The U.S. Department of Education awarded a grant of $218,000 to Thomas College in Waterville and a grant of $220,000 to Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor as part of its Student Support Services Program. Redfern closes on Portland land to build $9M apartment complex Portland developer Redfern Properties has purchased the East Bayside property where it plans to build a $9 million apartment complex that includes retail and restaurant space on the first floor. The company purchased the land at 89 Anderson St. from Perigree LLC for $815,000. The deal, which closed July 2, was brokered by Drew Sigfridson of CBRE | The Boulos Co. 3GS Tire and Auto Service was previously located at the site before moving to Veranda Street. Redfern's plan to build a four-story, 45,000-square-foot apartment building there is another sign that East Bayside is emerging as a hotbed for new devel- opment. The neighborhood has attracted a diverse mix of food, beverage, arts and other businesses over the past few years, including Bunker Brewing Co., Coffee By Design, Ten Ten Pie and Running With Scissors. Jonathan Culley, principal at Redfern, told Mainebiz that the neighborhood's transformation from an industrial area into a destination for food producers, arts groups and other businesses is what led his company to propose a build- ing there in the first place. "It brings with it a certain energy," he said. "It has certainly attracted artists and food producers and we thought that residential housing would do really well." Culley said the building, which has an estimated total project cost of up to $9 million, will include 53 market-rate apartments, starting at $1,000 a month. In all, there will be nine studios, 35 one-bedrooms and nine two-bedrooms. Off- street parking will be provided for tenants. Culley said he's currently in discussions with a not-for-profit organization as the buildings potential, first-floor retail tenant. He said he doesn't have a res- taurant tenant lined up yet, adding that, like the retail tenant, it would have to fit within the fabric of the neighborhood. "[East Bayside] is very diverse, racially and economically, so whoever we put in there has to appreciate and respect that," Culley said. Construction on the building, which has already received all necessary city approvals, is expected to begin next month. The estimated completion date is August 2016. — D Y L A N M A R T I N R E N D E R I N G / C O U R T E S Y O F R E D F E R N P RO P E R T I E S A rendering of Redfern Properties' 89 Anderson St. apartment complex in Portland. N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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