“Businesses need residents living nearby to shop, fill open jobs and create the vibrancy needed to attract others to the area,” said Maine State Chamber of Commerce’s CEO.
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A 51-unit housing project broke ground this week in Freeport, in an area designated by the town for high-density development.
The $15 million project by Scarborough-based M&R Development, called the Dash, is on the site of a former parking lot at the corner of Depot and Mill streets, one block from Main Street in downtown. M&R bought the lot from L.L.Bean. Risbara Brothers Construction is the general contractor.
It’s expected that the first residents will be able to move in spring 2027.
“This project successfully represents years of strong public engagement, proactive municipal action and thoughtful planning,” said Joanna Benoit, chair of Freeport Town Council. “The town has addressed zoning and removed barriers to address the housing crisis, provide homes for people to live and work in town, strengthen our local economy and protect the rural character of Freeport that we all cherish.”
The development is named after a warship built in Freeport in 1813.
“Businesses need residents living nearby to shop, fill open jobs and create the vibrancy needed to attract others to the area,” said Patrick Woodcock, CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. “Freeport has successfully demonstrated how a Maine community can grow sustainably without losing its character or charm.”
The three-story building, designed by Portland-based Woodhull, will offer market-rate studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, a gathering space and 51 parking spaces.
“We know downtowns need people to remain vibrant, and we are excited to deliver that to historic Freeport,” said Dan Bacon, M&R’s director of development and a Freeport resident.
Shrinking population
In 2021, vacancy rates in the downtown area, locally known as Freeport Village, reached over 12%, the highest in more than a decade. The village itself is home to 300 people, a drop from a previous level of 1,500. In response, the town updated its comprehensive plan in 2025 and its downtown vision report in 2021 to guide development, which included identifying Depot Street as a key area for housing development.
The Dash marks M&R Development’s eighth housing development since 2015. Its ninth is scheduled to break ground in Windham later this month. Over the last decade, M&R has built over 1,200 housing units in Cumberland County. The company is generally recognized for the Downs, a 577-acre, mixed-use project in Scarborough, today home to over 50 businesses, 700 housing units and a new-construction town center.
