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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 S O U T H E R N M A I N E R E G I O N F O C U S He also had to consider a couple employees who moved with the company. "We didn't want to make their commute bad." Shaff er lives in Portland's Munjoy Hill and commutes to Westbrook. " e bus comes right down here," he says. But the growth hasn't all come with total com- munity buy-in. Some objected to open fi elds being developed by Risbara Brothers Construction into one of the largest housing development projects in Greater Portland. Some 200 housing units are in the works and 300 more are planned. e Scarborough-based company has already built 53 house lots at Blue Spruce Farm in Westbrook, with nine lots still available, as well as nine apartment buildings with a total of 98 units and future development for a potential 32 condos. "We now have big apartments where there were fi elds," says Mayor Hilton, who says the town itself is buying property to keep as green space. She says some people have complained about the development, but she says it will look greener once the landscaping is done. She says the development is consistent with the city's 2012 comprehensive plan. Also in the works is an additional 94 apart- ments at Springbrook Center for Health Care & Rehabilitation Nursing Home, a memory care facil- ity with 30 units. " e apartments are for the elderly to age in place," Hilton says. Also in the works is Dirigo Plaza across from Kohl's, whose fi rst tenant will be a Walmart. Part of the property will involve turning a quarry into a pond and putting trails around it. e mayor notes that the community did actively plan for a change when its major employer, Sappi North America, stopped making paper and now has an active research arm at the Westbrook location. "We did a good job of attracting businesses," she says. One mechanism is tax increment fi nanc- ing. e city extended a TIF to persuade Olympia Sports to keep its headquarters in Westbrook after the company considered moving to New Jersey. Plus, the city, Friends of the Presumpscot and Sappi settled a 20-year court battle over removing dams and building fi sh ladders. Phase II of the removal project has been pushed out until May 2018, Baker adds, at which time he expects an urban white water park to be located at Saccarappa Falls in the downtown area. And the city is using TV ads and its website to shuck its image as an old paper industry town and focus on its assets, like the Presumpscot River. CONGRATULATIONS ARE MOST CERTAINLY IN ORDER To Adrian P. Kendall: presented with the 2016 President's Award by the Maine International Trade Center for his exceptional support of the Center. To Rod R. Rovzar: awarded the 2016 League Chairman's Award by the Maine Credit Union League honoring his dedication to the League and its members for almost 40 years. Gentlemen, we are proud to have you on our team. CONGRATULATIONS ARE MOST CERTAINLY IN ORDER To Adrian P. Kendall: presented with the 2016 President's Award by the Maine International Trade Center for his exceptional support of the Center. To Rod R. Rovzar: awarded the 2016 League Chairman's Award by the Maine Credit Union League honoring his dedication to the League and its members for almost 40 years. Gentlemen, we are proud to have you on our team. nhdlaw.com • Portland (207) 774-7000 • Lewiston (207) 777-5200 Westbrook Gorham Portland Population 17,886 (2014) 16,381 (2010) 66,666 (2014) Increase since (year) 10.8% (2000) 65.3% (1990) 3.8% (2000) Median age 39.7 years 32.5 years 35.8 years Median household income (2013) $42,390 $67,190 $40,806 Median house or condo value (2013) $195,866 $247,932 1 $230,000 Mill rate/thousand (2015/2016) $17.96 $16.30 $20.63 Median gross rent (2013) $853 $704 $879 Bachelor's degree or higher 27.50% 49.20% 41.50% Cost of living index 2 (March 2016) 103.1 100.5 104.7 Two communities set the pace for southern Maine 1 $252,500 as of May 2016 2 U.S. average is 100 S O U R C E S : City-data.com, towns, Job Development in Downtown Westbrook (report, 2013 C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » If you're a subscriber, you'll automatically receive this special issue. If not, make sure to order your copy. To order, call 207.761.8379 x332 or email kansley@mainebiz.biz Be sure to get your copy! Nominations have closed for this year's program, and Mainebiz is in the process of choosing our 2016 Women to Watch. We will profile the honorees in our special Women to Watch issue on August 8. Be sure to get September 8 5:00pm–7:00pm | Westin Portland Harborview Join Mainebiz as we celebrate the 2016 Women to Watch! F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 » M O R E I N S I D E T H E L I S T C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 0 » B y J a m e s M c c a r t h y S E E W H O ' S N E X T O N PA G E 3 0 » 16 22 25 F O C U S H R /B E N E F I T S P L A N N I N G S TA R T I N G O N P A G E 12 » Harbor Technologies challenges the supremacy of steel and concrete bridge beams B y J a m e s m c c a r t h y Martin Grimnes, founder and CEO of Harbor Technologies Inc. in Brunswick, says composites will play an ever-greater role in building highway bridges, piers, ports, harbors and marinas due to their lighter weight, longer life cycle and lower maintenance costs. $2.00 June 29, 2015 VO L . X X I N O. X I I I www.mainebiz.biz Find out who we've named as our 2016 Women to Watch in the August 8 issue. PRESEN T ING SP ONSORS FOLLOW US @MBEVENTS #MBWTW16

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