Rendering / Courtesy of Crossroads holdings LLC
The Downs mixed-use development will occupy 535 acres in the heart of Scarborough, one of Maine’s fastest-growing towns.
July 22, 2019
Infrastructure / Distribution
Getting down to business
Renderings / Courtesy of Scarborough Downs
The Downs will have space devoted to commercial and residential use as well as a town center.
Maine’s first new mixed-use industrial park in 25 years is generating lots of buzz as businesses start to reserve lots inside The Downs, a development in the Portland suburb of Scarborough.The Downs will occupy 535 acres that have been empty and unused for decades, except for a struggling harness racing operation with a small but loyal following.
Dwindling attendance and betting income prompted the Terry family to sell the 70-year-old track and surrounding land in 2018 to two sets of local brothers — William, Mark and Roccy Risbara, of Risbara Bros. Construction, and Peter and Richard Michaud — for $6.7 million. They formed Crossroads Holdings LLC to buy a property that had been on the market for nearly two decades.
While leaving the Terry family to run the track, the new owners are proceeding with plans to transform the land into what they view as “the new Scarborough.”
“We are creating a community trifecta at The Downs — a place to live, work or play,” says Roccy Risbara. “We envision that this planned community will draw interest in all three of those areas.”
More than a beauty makeover, the project is poised to have a far-reaching economic impact, bringing up to 3,350 new jobs at full buildout and new space worth $615 million.
As shown in the accompanying graphic, that space will consist of 775,00 square feet for research, production and warehousing facilities; close to 1.2 million square feet of commercial space envisioned as a mix of office, retail, lodging, senior care and commercial sports facilities; and 1,986 residential units.
Once completed, the biggest proportion of land — 40% — will be for conservation, including 200 acres of trails. The rest will be for residential, commercial/retail and industrial use, each making up 20%.
While the town of Scarborough relies heavily on residential property owners to build its tax base, Roccy Risbara says the development’s mixed-use zoning offers an opportunity to “fix the mix and build out the commercial and industrial tax base” as well. “Plus, we’ve heard loud and clear that our residents want a town center, and we think that would be pretty cool, too.”
A sports complex may anchor that center as Massachusetts-based ESG Associates Inc. studies whether to build a recreational facility that could include pools, ice rinks, indoor and outdoor fields and other activities.
“Portland is a growing region and is currently underserved in this capacity,” Brian DeVellis, president of ESG Associates, said in April’s announcement. “We see a bright future for this type of athletic complex in Scarborough.”
Location, location, location
Importantly for businesses already in southern Maine or seeking to relocate from elsewhere, the 154-acre Innovation District opens up an abundance of industrial space in an undersupplied and increasingly congested metropolitan area.
“A lot of companies are looking at building in this park because there’s very little land left available in any other parks in this area,” says Drew Sigfridson, the Portland-based managing director and broker with The Boulos Co,. the commercial real estate firm for The Downs. “The lots left in other industrial parks are not zoned correctly or are expensive to develop because of the site work costs.”
He adds that the lack of industrial buildings up for sale overall poses a problem for growing businesses looking to add space: “If you’re a company that needs to expand and find a larger building, there’s very little available, so new construction is in some cases the only option.”
Companies wanting to do that in the greater Portland area are beginning to reserve lots in the Innovation Park, which will be the northernmost part of the envisioned “new Scarborough.” Construction on the industrial park is slated to start in late summer or early fall.
For the Risbaras, that vision is inspired in large part by their personal connection to Scarborough, a 20,000-population town less than 10 miles from Portland. “Scarborough is very special to us for so many reasons,” says Risbara. “It’s where we grew up, where our parents started their businesses 50 years ago, where my brothers and partners do business, where we live [and] where our children and grandchildren live. There is no other place we’d consider taking on a project of this size.”
He also notes that Scarborough is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, with a school system that consistently ranks in Maine’s top 10.
We have always known that this town is special, and we’re happy to be making it even better than how we found it.
— Roccy Risbara Risbara Bros. Construction
Photo / Tim Greenway
Roccy Risbara
Beyond that, he notes that the property is close to the Portland International Jetport, two hours north of Boston and accessible via numerous transportation routes including highway routes 95 and 295 as well as Route 1, Payne Road and Within the property, Risbara highlights natural resource attractions such as Scarborough’s four beaches, conservation land and miles of recreational trails and says: “We have always known this town is special, and we’re happy to be making it better than how we found it.”
The first phase of residential development is currently in progress. It includes 30 single-family homes, 16 duplex cottages and 32 condominiums. A 12-bed memory care facility is also planned.
Scarborough-based Town & Country Federal Credit Union, a residential partner lender for The Downs, has pledged to offer a range of financing options for individual needs and budgets. That’s in line with its broader goal of helping the community grow responsibly.
“The Downs project will infuse enthusiasm and excitement into Scarborough for years to come,” predicts David Libby, the credit union’s president and CEO.
‘Nice clean manufacturing’
The Innovation District is designed to attract light industrial, technology, manufacturing and retail end users.
There are a total of 54 subdivided lots ranging in size from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet, which can be bought singularly or as a group and merged, along with three larger gateway lots abutting Payne Road.
“These lots are a large, blank canvas for anyone coming in,” says Risbara. During the light industrial phase of construction, he says the aim is to attract businesses involved in food processing, brewing, manufacturing, technology, pet care and storage. “We could also see an incubator space, small construction company or mechanical system contractor, such as plumbers, electricians or HVAC contractors. There is a demand right now for light industrial spaces, and we plan to follow the market if allowed within our zoning ordinances.”
So far there’s been interest from manufacturers as well as contractors and companies involved in technical consulting, including local businesses looking to expand or relocate, according to The Boulos Co.
As of mid-June, there were reservations for five lots out of 20 available in the first phase of development, according to Sigfridson.
He says that manufacturers looking to build there are mainly ones with more of a technology and robotic focus rather than traditional industrial production.
“It’s nice clean manufacturing,” he says.
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