The sellers of the 1908 building operated an antiques and gift shop. The buyer plans a multi-use conversion to second-story apartments and lower-story commercial space.
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The buyer of 48 Water St. in downtown Skowhegan has plans for redevelopment of the property.
Patric Moore and JPM LLC bought the 16,020-square-foot J. Palmer Merrill building from Greg and Linette Salisbury for $499,900.
Jeremy Frantz of Williams Realty Partners and Chris Marcoux of Coldwell Banker Plourde Real Estate brokered the deal.
The property was marketed as a 1908 Colonial revival brick building that is among cafes and shops and near parks and the Kennebec River. It's also in an area with other historic buildings, in a pedestrian-friendly downtown.
The building has three levels, a public elevator, road frontage and public and private parking.
Over the course of 26 years, the Salisburys transformed the space from a simple storefront into the multi-room Hilltop Antiques and Lynette’s Cards & Gifts, according to a news release.
Mixed-use conversion
Rather than simply selling a property, the Salisburys sought a buyer who would respect the building’s history and architecture while bringing new life to the space. The buyer has a long-term vision for the property and for downtown Skowhegan as a whole, the release said.
An Air Force veteran, Moore is director for entrepreneurship at Main Street Skowhegan, a nonprofit focused on revitalizing the Somerset County town. He’s been working to create a shared commercial kitchen and food business incubator at 185 Water St.
Moore leads JPM LLC, which plans to convert the building into a mixed-use property, introducing residential apartments on the second floor while maintaining a presence at the street level and below.
The building has great architecture, said Frantz.
“This sale was about finding the right fit, someone who understood the role the building has played in the community and had a vision for how it could continue to contribute in a new way,” Frantz said.