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November 12, 2015

Developer planning office building on Saco Island

Courtesy / Saco Island LP A rendering of a conceptual design of an office building on Saco Island's eastern side, looking out on the Saco River.
Courtesy / Saco Island LP A rendering of a conceptual design of an office building on Saco Island's eastern side.

A Saco Island developer has released a conceptual plan for the island’s eastern end that includes an office building overlooking the Saco River.

The plan is a major change from the original development plan for luxury townhouses announced in the fall of 2006, the developer said Thursday.

Saco Island LP, a project from Portland-based Dirigo Capital Advisors, has met with several prospective tenants for the development, said Sam Zaitlin, Saco Island’s director of development, in a news release.

He said the company believes the site would be perfect for a hospitality tenant or professional offices.

Zaitlin said the recession put the previous plans on hold. However, with changes to Biddeford since then, including the demolition of Maine Energy Recovery Co. trash incinerator and the start of other development projects, the company believes building Class A office space on the site would be the best use for it, Zaitlin said.

The Portland Press Herald reported that the developer has cleared area on the eastern end of the island to prepare for the commercial development. The paper reported that it could include a four-story, 50,000-square-foot office building and extension of the Saco RiverWalk.

Zaitlin told the Press Herald that the company expects to finish gathering information to give to prospective office tenants by the end of the month, and construction would be under way within a year.

Saco Island LP intends to develop the property itself and is hopeful that public access to the shoreline can be incorporated into final development plans, it said in the news release.

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