Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/827955
V O L . X X I I I N O. X I I M AY 2 9 , 2 0 1 7 22 T odd Spencer's phone has been ringing off the hook. Spencer is the property manager for Lewiston-based real estate owner, developer and contractor Gendron & Gendron, whose owner and presi- dent, David Gendron, owns close to 2 million square feet of industrial space, along with retail and offi ce space, most in the Lewiston/Auburn area. Prospective tenants are coveting that space — a combination of build- ings either purchased or developed by Gendron & Gendron. Demand for warehouse space, in particular, is hot, Spencer says. "I've got more phone calls and we're in the grind with more people in the last four to six weeks than in probably the past four years," says Spencer. Lewiston and Auburn have about a dozen industrial or business parks. e signifi cant real estate activity includes the purchase of the former 120,000-square-foot recycled paper processing plant, which the Canadian company Cascades Inc. closed last year. e plant, at 586 Lewiston Junction Road in Auburn, was snapped up after just two weeks on the market. For now, it is not clear what the site will be used for. Companies taking over more space range from L.L.Bean, which needs additional space to accommodate the surging popularity of its Bean boots, to companies that make components for medical devices to a company that provides crane-and-rigging services. e keen interest is tightening existing inventory, says Tom Dunham, partner and broker at the Portland- based NAI e Dunham Group. " e inventory is getting tighter, likely around 3%, and values are now increasing both in sale prices and rents," says Dunham. Unlike greater Portland, L/A has room to grow, if developers decide to build more industrial space. Available land, coupled with streamlined permit process Kevin Fletcher, with Portland-based Malone Commercial Brokers, sees L/A's industrial market benefi ting from the tight market for industrial real estate in the Portland area. "People are starting to look at Lewiston/Auburn rather than just Industrial space crunch moves north L/A's industrial space is in demand B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r L E W I S T O N / A U B U R N F O C U S 207-784-3159 888-593-6328 www.northeastchartertour.com info@northeastchartertour.com Crown Limousine & Towne Car Service 207-783-8799 www.crownlimomaine.com info@crownlimomaine.com Motorcoach x School Bus x Limousine x Town Car x Trolley Trolley & Transportation Co. 235 Goddard Road • Lewiston, ME 04240 northeastchartertour.com Providing Transportation and Charter services for groups of all sizes since 1999 207-594-9300 www.meetthefleet.com info@northeastchartertour.com 1. Jones & Vining Inc.: plastic fabrication 2. L.L.Bean: manufacturing site 3. Walmart Distribution Center: retail distribution 4. Elmet Technologies Inc.: B2B manufacturer of precision parts 5. Compounding Solutions: high-end plastic manufacturing 6. Clariant Corp.: specialty chemicals 7. Boston Granite: whole distributor of granite and stone products 8. Modula Inc.: automated storage systems 9. Kassbohrer ATV Inc.: off-road vehicles 10. Gendron & Gendron: real estate developer and contractor 11. Max Finkelstein Inc.: wholesale tire distributor 12. Former Cascades Inc. plant: to be redeveloped 13. Auburn-Lewiston Airport 14. Cote Corp.: cranes and rigging 15. Procter & Gamble Tambrands: personal care products 16. Auburn Intermodal Facility L/A industrial activity Lewiston and Auburn are seeing an increase in industrial park occupancy and development. Proximity to the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad line and I-95 are key factors for manufacturing and distribution companies. Available land is also playing a role, as develop- able land becomes scarce further south. Here is a sampling of manufac- turers and distribution companies and related infrastructure. S O U R C E : Cities of Lewiston, Auburn; NAI The Dunham Group; companies; map base from Google Maps AUBURN LEWISTON 202 121 126 196 136 12 13 15 14 14 16 6 7 8 5 9 3 4 1 2 10 11