From groundbreakings for the Roux Institute building and an Auburn mixed-use site to the unveiling of the Woods & Waters welcome center, here is construction news from Portland to Coburn Gore.
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The city of Auburn, in collaboration with JCS 18 LLC and Great Falls Construction, is starting work on a mixed-use building at 186 Main St.
A groundbreaking was held Sept. 10, marking the launch of a project the city says will contribute significantly to the vibrancy and growth of Auburn’s downtown area.
The development, designed to emphasize sustainability, will feature 18 market-rate residential units and two commercial spaces — a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and a 1,200-square-foot retail space.
The building will celebrate both riverfront and Main Street frontage and will be heated and cooled via environmentally friendly electric systems, supporting Auburn’s vision for a greener, more sustainable future.
“This project marks a significant milestone for our city. It not only enhances our downtown area but also aligns with our vision for a sustainable, thriving community. We are excited to see the positive impact this will have on Auburn,” said Mayor Jeffery D. Harmon.
Great Falls Construction, of Gorham, will manage the project, which is already underway. The construction timeline is a year to 14 months.
What’s going on around Maine
- After six years of planning and construction, the new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument was unveiled. Bangor-based Haley Ward provided survey and environmental work, as well as civil and structural design. Wright-Ryan Construction, of Portland, served as construction manager, showcasing its expertise and commitment to innovation, including leading the fabrication and installation of 165 custom-built, structural-grade Douglas Fir “glulam” columns — one of the project’s many groundbreaking achievements. Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is a 7,900-square-foot building on a 23–acre site atop Lookout Mountain. The building used mass timber. Both Haley Ward and Wright-Ryan were “honored to have contributed to this project, which highlights Maine’s exceptional skills and capabilities, and to celebrate the rich Wabanaki cultural heritage that the station embodies,” according to a press release.
- In Portland, as this issue went to press, Consigli Construction was set to break ground on the future site of the Roux Institute, on the site of the former B&M Baked Beans plant in Portland. The developer is IDEALS.
- New York City-based Dattner Architects has been awarded a $15.5 million contract to provide architectural and engineering services for a new land port of entry in Coburn Core, an unorganized township in Franklin County that borders Canada. Dattner, a women-owned firm whose portfolio includes commercial buildings, courthouses and subway stations in the New York City area, will help the U.S. General Services Administration develop a land point of entry that coordinates with traffic flow and operations of the Canadian port of entry at Saint-Augustin-de-Woburn, Quebec. Construction is scheduled to start in fall 2026, with “substantial completion” currently planned for fall 2029.