Former Belfast Public Works site gets new life with multifamily housing
Photo / Courtesy Developers Collaborative
Congress Square Commons, a multifamily affordable rental housing development, is set to open at 115 Congress St. in Belfast.
A multifamily affordable rental housing development is set to open at 115 Congress St. in Belfast.
Developers Collaborative developed Congress Square Commons in partnership with the city of Belfast. A reuse of the former site of Belfast Public Works, the project has 48 mixed-income rental apartments in five townhouse buildings that are centered around a common green space with a natural playground.
Rooftop solar panels are expected to generate an estimated 175 megawatt hours per year. Amenities include a community room with a kitchenette and laundry room that open out to the green space and four covered areas for bike and stroller storage.
One-, two- and three-bedroom units have exterior entrances and private backyards.
Twelve units are workforce housing rented to households earning 80% of the area median income.
Thirty-six units are priced at affordable rental rates, with at least 60% of the units rented to households earning 50% of the area median income or less and the remaining units rented to households earning 60% of the area median income or less.
Of the 36 units, there are 16 one-bedroom units that are approximately 690 square feet, 12 two-bedroom units that range from 820 to 840 square feet and eight three-bedroom units that are approximately 1,120 square feet.
“By providing safe, stable homes, we create environments where individuals and families can flourish, physically, mentally, and emotionally,” said Laura Reading, Developers Collaborative’s director of affordable housing.
Environmental cleanup and demolition of the city’s public works facility took place in 2020 in order to prepare the site for redevelopment. At that time, the mayor and City Council determined the highest and best use of this property was for workforce housing and entered discussions with Portland-based Developers Collaborative.
The cost was about $12 million for the 36 affordable rental units and approximately $3.5 million for the 80% area median income rural rental units.
Financing for the project was provided by the Maine State Housing Authority, Evernorth and NBT Bank, along with the city of Belfast, which supported creation of an Affordable Housing Tax Increment Financing District and secured funding from the Community Development Block Grant Housing Assistance Program.
The development is half a mile from downtown Belfast, which has amenities such as the Belfast City Free Library, Belfast Co-op, a post office and banks. Pierce Elementary School is also within a half mile.
Penobscot General Contractors, of Falmouth, was the general contractor; Archetype Architects, of Portland was the architect; Terradyn, of New Gloucester, was the engineer; and Aceto Landscape Architects, of Portland, was the landscape architect.
Developers Collaborative said it employs a community and listening-based approach to planning to create developments that aim to revitalize town centers and cities, with a focus on innovative design, smart growth and environmental sustainability in mixed-use development and affordable, market-rate and senior housing through new place making and historic preservation.
An opening ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 10 , at 10:30 a.m., with community leaders and project partners in attendance. Members of the community are invited.
Congress Square Commons is accepting applications. For more information, contact C&C Realty Management at 207-621-7700 or info@ccrealtymanagement.com.
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