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V O L . X X I I I N O. I JA N UA R Y 9 , 2 0 1 7 24 C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O C U S "If we can expand and develop more in these areas, we can connect Maine nationally and inter- nationally," he says. "We should be able to do that in other parts of Maine. Getting those roads, bridges, waterways in place, then we can support the indus- tries that come here." The outlook ough optimistic, industry leaders are watching a variety of factors that could impact growth. ere's the perennial concern about the labor shortage — which is particularly acute amongst skilled laborers like drywallers and plumbers, as many workers left the state or the industry during the last downturn. (See related story on page 25.) Marks is concerned that so much of the activity is concentrated in the southern portion of Maine. "I want to see the momentum to move north," he says. "We need to fi nd opportunities where Maine can encourage more economic activity in areas where population declines are a serious problem. It is clear people are leaving to fi nd work and opportunity and we can't aff ord that to be a continued trend." is problem aff ects all of Maine's industries — not just construction and development. "If we don't have a diverse portfolio of activity throughout the state, we're only going to have greater problems," Marks adds. "As a state we still need to focus on ways to encourage private growth." Adams, of Sebago Technics, is keeping an eye on the housing market, which is driving so many projects. " at's an area that can slow down very quickly if people feel anxiety about their jobs or general economic conditions," he says. e industry is also keeping a close watch on interest rates. "One just never knows when that extra increase is going to make a pro forma not work for an investor, or they're going to decide that they're just not willing to take the risk," Adams adds. "We're still very aware of the last great recession, and we understand that a lot of this could change quickly." J V A , a w r i te r ba s e d i n Ya r m o u t h , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t @ . » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Factory controlled environment. Building pre-constructed walls indoors, we can ensure the highest degree of measurement ac- curacy and structural integrity. Built-to-order panels. We build all kinds of different wall configurations – exterior, interior, gable end walls, and dormers with door and window openings built-in. We will build pan- els to meet your specifications. No special equipment or extra framing techniques required. Our pre-constructed walls go up quickly and easily, saving time and waste on the job. Every compo- nent is labeled and accompanied with a master plan to ensure each piece fits exactly into place. Both residential and commercial applications. No job is too small or too big to benefit from the speed and quality of Hancock wall panels! We deliver to your site. We build them and deliver them to your job site. They're ready to go up the moment they arrive. • • • • • Panelized Wall Systems Save time. Reduce waste. Year-round building. Manufactured in Maine at Hancock Lumber's Windham location. www.HancockLumber.com/WallPanels N O TA B L E D E V E L O P M E N T P RO J E C T Eastern Maine Medical Center Bangor Project details: In June 2016, EMMC opened the Penobscot Pavilion, which included a main entrance and lobby, a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with 29 private patient rooms and a Cardiac Telemetry floor with 32 private patient rooms. It also included a dining room. EMMC expects to complete the project in 2017 by consolidating the heart care services on several floors, with new surgical suites and a pre- and hpost-anesthesia area. It is also renovating the labor and delivery unit. Estimated cost of construction: $305 million Construction managers: Joint venture between Cianbro and Brasfield & Gorrie Completion date: 2017 P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y E M M C

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