🔒12 workforce housing units under construction in Stonington

A workforce housing trust is following up the success of its first 10-unit project in Deer Isle with a 12-unit modular development in Stonington.

Island Workforce Housing was founded in 2019 to create year-round workforce rentals for the midcoast island towns of Stonington and Deer Isle.

“We completed our first project, called Oliver’s Ridge, in 2023, and are currently under construction on our second project, called Thurlow’s Way, due to be completed in May/June,” Peter Roth, treasurer and co-founder of the group, told Mainebiz.

Oliver’s Ridge

Oliver’s Ridge is 10 two-bedroom rental units in five duplex buildings in Deer Isle. Each unit is 930 square feet.

The  $2.9 million development was built on Oliver’s Ridge Road, a new road for the project coming off Sunset Cross Road central to the small town, which numbered about 2,100 residents as of 2022.

All units have been occupied since October 2023, just a few months after an outreach process and lottery that began that June. Rents are between $700 and $1,300 per month, depending on household size and income. The rentals serve members of the local workforce who earn 60% to 120% of Hancock County’s area median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and adjusted by household size.

For instance, in 2023, a one-person qualifying household earned up to $71,400; a four-person household earned up to $102,000.

The project involved joining forces with Island Heritage Trust to acquire 27.5 acres of land on Sunset Cross Road, with almost 2,500 feet of frontage on Oliver’s Pond. A pond buffer of 14.1 acres was put into conservation, leaving the upland portion of 13.4 acres for development.

The project team included Bucksport architect John Gordon, Bar Harbor landscape architect Sam Coplon, Portland HVAC systems engineer firm Ripcord Engineering, site engineer Andrew McCullough Engineering Consultants in Ellsworth and Deer Isle land surveyor Due North.

Energy efficiency features include air seals between the foundations and exterior walls, continuous insulation and mini-split heat pumps.

Over 65% of applicants were single-person households.

“So we learned there’s a lot of demand on the island from small households,” said Roth.

Thurlow’s Way

As a result, the second project that’s now underway is a mix of 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments across three modular buildings.

The $3.4 million project, called Thurlow’s Way broke ground this past October and is due to be completed in May or June. It’s at 59 Cemetery Road in Stonington, numbering about 1,000 residents.

The project will be built in less than half the time thanks to the use of modular construction, said Roth.

The three weather-tight buildings were recently set on their foundations. The units were manufactured and delivered by KBS Builders in South Paris. The units came fitted up with flooring, cabinets, and plumbing and electrical systems.

Work underway now includes installation of fixtures, finishes, decks and landscaping. The group said it expects to open applications in March and have tenants in the buildings by summer.

The project team includes general contractor Rich Marshall Carpentry, Adams Landscaping for sitework, concrete by Oliver Cousins Foundations and Jake Gaspar of Island Forms, plumbing by Percy L. Brown and Son, electrical by Affordable Electric, architect John Gordon, landscape architect Sam Coplon and surveyor Due North.

The site is within walking distance of downtown Stonington.

The purchase of the property was made possible by Island Workforce Housing's acquisition fund, initiated by a gift from Michele Janin and Tom Linebarger.

Both developments were financed through capital campaigns and bank loans.

The rentals are prioritized for households with year-round island workers, with incomes from 80% to 140% of Hancock County’s area median income, adjusted for household size.

Third phase

More housing is needed, according to a recently published report by the two towns’ Interlocal Housing Task Force.

Of the nearly 800 year-round jobs available in the two towns, about 100 go unfilled due to lack of housing, especially for first-time homebuyers and those in the lower-income bracket, the report said.

When it started in 2019, Island Workforce Housing set a goal of developing 30 units to help fill that gap. The first two phases are bringing 22 units to fruition

“We will be deciding this year as to what the third phase will look like,” said Roth.

He added, “There are a lot of indicators that there’s still a need for rental housing, especially for the younger workforce.”