Sagamore Village, on outer Brighton Avenue, was built in 1942 to provide housing for World War II Liberty Ship builders, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Portland Builders and Allied Cook Construction are renovating and restoring Sagamore Village, a 200-unit affordable housing development located in the Nason’s Corner neighborhood of Portland.
Portland Housing Development Corp. has signed a financing agreement with M&T Bank (NYSE:MTB), which is based in Buffalo, N.Y., and has 18 offices in Maine. Financing will help renovate both the homes and the community center.
Sagamore Village was built in 1942 to provide housing for the shipyard workers for the so-called Liberty Ships. Sagamore Village is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It was purchased and repurposed by the Portland Housing Authority in 1953 as public housing for lower-income families.
The renovation is first focusing on removing hazardous materials where possible, improving indoor air quality and updating non-code compliant mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Work on the first eight residential buildings started in February and includes interior upgrades.
“Some tenants have had to temporarily relocate to start the renovations, but our hope is that most residents will only move once into a finished, renovated unit," said Justin Barker, development officer for Portland Housing.
One of the first apartment buildings being fully renovated at Sagamore Village. PHOTO / COURTESY PORTLAND HOUSING AUTHORITY
Renovations to the community center and administrative offices are nearly complete.
Plans also call for expanding the food pantry and adding a new permanent health clinic, operated by Greater Portland Health. The community includes a Boys & Girls Club, an education center, a playground and a community garden.
“Sagamore Village has been a home to some families for twenty or thirty years, over multiple generations,” said Barker.
“Affordable housing projects are very difficult to accomplish without the use of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits,” Barker said, “but M&T Bank has collaborated with us to provide a unique financing structure that works without cutting corners on the renovation scope.”
Barker said the project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2028.
Allied Cook Construction is based Scarborough. Portland Builders is based in Portland.
