The buyers of a mixed-use investment property in Kittery Foreside quickly leased space to a pizza shop and are confident they’ll find a tenant for another available commercial space.
“I love the building. I think it’s a cornerstone of the Foreside,” said James Weisheit.
James and Mary Weisheit bought 60-68 Wallingford Square from 60-68 Wallingford Square LLC for $2.49 million.
Suzanne McKechnie of McKechnie Commercial Realty represented the buyers and Peter Montesanto of Duston Leddy Real Estate represented the seller.
Kittery Foreside includes the downtown area of the York County town of Kittery.
‘Great bones’
The 10,648-square-foot building, known as the Cook Block, dates back to 1850. Marketed as a prime waterfront opportunity situated along the Piscataqua River, in an area of heavy foot traffic, it has three commercial units, eight residential units and a garage.
“This property has great bones, parking and some river views,” said McKechnie.
The on-site garage had a fire a while back, she said, but there’s potential to rebuild it.
Two of the three commercial spaces were vacant upon sale, said McKechnie. One of the spaces was quickly leased to Dudley Street Pizza. Negotiations are underway for the second space, which was previously occupied for 20 years by a restaurant called Anneke Jans, which closed in January 2025.
The third commercial unit is occupied by David Lussier Gallery.
‘Prominent building’
“I hope to bring it back to life,” Weisheit said of the property. “It’s a very visible, prominent building.”
James is an engineer at Pratt & Whitney, an aerospace manufacturer that has a plant in North Berwick, and Mary is spa director at Kennebunkport resort Hidden Pond. Real estate is a side gig.
Weisheit said attractions of the property included the mix of commercial and residential units and the building’s vintage aesthetics in a bustling area.
Improvements are underway, including roof replacement, HVAC upgrades and replacement of baseboard electric heat with mini-split heat pumps.
“There’s endless work there,” he said. “We’ll peck away at it.”
