Bath looks to build nearly 200 housing units along little-used corridor
Drawing / Courtesy, Bath Housing
The city says the development is vital to the future of Bath’s economy by providing a diversity of housing types for all families in the area.
The Bath Housing Authority is now leading the development of nearly 200 housing units, with the goal of transforming an under-used area along Congress Avenue, west of the downtown, into a residential neighborhood for families of all incomes.
The Congress Avenue corridor envisioned for development is within walking distance to two schools, two shopping centers, a business park and the local YMCA.
Bath’s housing stock is limited and aging, the city says. Its new comprehensive plan outlines a need to accommodate growth and change in the housing market to keep the community healthy, according to a news release.
“This development is vital to the future of Bath’s economy by providing a diversity of housing types for all families in our area struggling to find attainable housing,” said Misty Parker, Bath’s director of community and economic development.
The Bath Housing Authority works to improve housing stability for Bath-area seniors, people with disabilities and families.
Mixed income
The conceptual blueprint was developed over the course of a year, facilitated by Aceto Landscape Architects in Portland.
With 17 acres and allowable density of up to 313 housing units, Bath Housing came up with a plan to place up to 190 housing units on Congress Avenue’s seven-acre portion of the site, allowing the remaining 10 acres to be placed in a conservation easement with Kennebec Estuary Land Trust.
The neighborhood will cater to a mix of family income tiers: those with less than 80% of the area median income, middle-income households with 80% to 120% of the AMI and market-rate units for those earning more than that range.
Bath Housing said that three guiding principles drove the planning process:
- Incorporate a mix of housing types and diverse scales.
- Prioritize people and community spaces first, emphasizing livability.
- Use landscaping to create outdoor rooms and a sense of place.
Three phases
The multiyear effort is planned in three phases, each focused on a different portion of the property: the North Yard, Middle Yard and South Yard. Each phase includes opportunities for public discussion and input.
The South Yard has received municipal approvals, including a contract zone, site plan and subdivision approval and a tax increment financing approval.
The North Yard is in the permitting process.
South Yard
The South Yard, at the northeast corner of Congress Avenue and Centre Street, will be home to a project named Anchorage South. The project will replace 39 existing apartments at the Anchorage — which Bath Housing describes as its oldest property, and functionally obsolete. Nine new apartments will also be added.
“We are designing highly energy-efficient, high-quality, durable, long-lasting housing,” said Seth Parker, Bath Housing’s director of real estate development. “Smartly engineered buildings offer a stable and healthy future for our residents, and that’s a key focus of Bath Housing.”
Existing Anchorage residents have been involved in the planning from the start, including weighing in on unit layout, building access and amenities, the release said.
The new building will cater to those 55 and older and will carry income restrictions.
To make the project possible, Bath Housing will be moving its administrative office to its new 520 Centre St. project, which is under construction and expected to be complete next summer.
North Yard
Work on the North Yard, at 150 Congress Ave., is led by Developers Collaborative, and will be designed with the workforce in mind.
Bath Housing selected Developers Collaborative as a partner in the Congress Corridor effort because of its track record and creativity, according to the release.
The North Yard is expected to include up to 84 market-rate housing units, but is still in the planning stage.
Middle Yard
The final phase would be the Middle Yard, which would take shape at 100 Congress Ave. after the residents of the Anchorage move into their new homes at the South Yard.
Still in the planning stages, Bath Housing said it has committed to developing a series of house lots along the Edgett Street portion of the site, in keeping with the existing streetscape. In addition, there could be up to 60 additional housing units on the Congress Avenue portion of the site.
“We are thinking about the future not only in terms of numbers of units and market stability; we are building sustainably, preserving acres of land, and truly thinking about the future throughout the whole process,” said Debora Keller, Bath Housing’s executive director, who is also on the city’s climate planning committee.
Claire Berkowitz, executive director of a family support nonprofit called Midcoast Maine Community Action, said the Congress Corridor has for years offered not much more than a connector between U.S. Route 1 and North Bath.
The development plan, Berkowitz said, "will be a game-changer for so many families who are struggling with current living and rental situations."
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