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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 A P R I L 3 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / D E S I G N " ings have been going great," he says. "We're ahead of where I projected us to be. We've been open seven months now and we're at 27 companies in the incubator. We've had very successful events." Fork had originally planned to open its cater- ing arm this summer, but demand was such that it launched two months after Fork opened. "People are gravitating toward the idea of hiring Fork because they know the food is made locally and all the money will be paid to the small businesses that created the food in front of them," he says. Companies range from brand-new, still in the R&D phase, to established players needing kitchen space for new recipe development. "In the incubator environment, everyone is working with each other, to help solve problems, to connect them with the right resources," he says. Fork is designed to fi t 45 to 50 companies and is at roughly 60% capacity, but is still receiving inquiries. Plans for the future include opening a stage- two facility off ering stand-alone kitchens with shared services. Spillane says West Bayside has proven an excit- ing place to be. "We have this close-knit group of people who are entrepreneurs or developers down here, and we all share in the excitement of how West Bayside is going to evolve to be in the next 10 years," he says. "We see it as the place where Portland locals come for experiences and to have fun. e Old Port is where tourists visit. But West Bayside will be that place where you go to bowl, taste food, work out, do some shopping — and it's still convenient." Spillane says he's intrigued by the novelty West Bayside poses even for Portland residents. " e average Portlander hasn't driven around West Bayside," he says. "People coming to Fork sometimes are trying to fi gure out the maze of streets down here. I see that as an opportunity. ere's value to be unlocked, because it's a cool area and you have a rich industrial background and a lot of history." On Marginal Way, partners Josh Benthien and Rex Bell, owners of the commercial real estate devel- opment company Northland Enterprises LLC, have completed the fi rst phase of their multi-phase rede- velopment of 45 Marginal Way, 1 Marginal Way, 200 Kennebec St. and 202 Kennebec St. Part one is the rehabilitation of a building at 45 Marginal Way into a retail development they've named Century Plaza — honoring the site's former occupant, Century Tire, which was there for 88 years and closed in 2014. Today, 4,000 square feet is anchored by Chipotle and T-Mobile; another 4,200 square feet is vacant, but Benthien says he's talked with several interested parties. "We've been selective about who we put in," he says. "We've had interest from larger national tenants. But we have a couple of national tenants in here already, so we're trying to fi nd the right fi t for a local, diverse mix." An existing Enterprise Rent-A-Car is at 1 Marginal Way — a site that has been the focus of a two-year planning process by Northland. "It's a gateway site we feel honored to be able to transform, but we want to do it with the right mix of density, unique design and tenancy," Benthien says. Benthien has explored ways to provide a long-term home for Enterprise, whether that's a possible move into Century Plaza, or as an anchor tenant on the ground fl oor of a multi-fl oor redevelopment at 1 Marginal. Enterprise is a valued member of the commu- nity, he says. "As we went through the diff erent neighborhoods and presented this project two or three years ago, one thing we heard was that Enterprise was an important amenity downtown, because a lot of folks who don't own cars can rent there as needed," he says. Across from Century Plaza, at 200 Kennebec St., Northland earlier this year recruited a popular Falmouth deli, Leavitt & Sons, to open a second location once a rebuild is completed. No plans are in the works for 202 Kennebec St., home to Aquarius Ballroom Dance Studios and Enterprise's wash bay. Parking is an issue, says Benthien. Construction of a parking structure is part of the conversation. BRUNSWICK | KENNEBUNK | SOUTH PORTLAND | NORTH CONWAY www.HomeAgainByHancockLumber.com Inspired Design Starts Here C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are Those of us in West Bayside are really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling really proud. We're all takling about how to make it better. I'm excited by the possibilities and by the neighborhood's excitement to see things get done. — Josh Benthien Northland Enterprises LLC

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