Mixed-use campus proposed for former Rockland factory site
Courtesy / LoopNet
The vacant lot at left is 8 Lime St. The collection of buildings on the right is 9-11 Lime St. A conceptual plan presented to the Rockland City Council last week includes redevelopment of existing buildings and construction of new buildings.
A Rockland resident has plans to redevelop the former Bicknell Manufacturing Co. property, at 9-11 Lime St., into a multi-use campus.
Valerie Landsburg presented a conceptual plan to the Rockland City Council last week that calls for residential, retail, office, maker space, public space and parking.
Landsburg said she moved to Rockland from Topanga Canyon, Calif., in 2013. She’s an instructor at Maine Media Workshops & College in Rockport.
The property consists of six industrial and warehouse buildings totaling 25,895 square feet on 1.14 acres. The property identified as 11 Lime St. appears on a real estate listing site as being on the market for $1.295 million.
Landsburg said she’s interested in buying 9-11 Lime St. and, across the street, 8 Lime St. The property at 8 Lime St. is a 1.91-acre vacant lot listed at one time by Masiello Group for $600,000. It sits on Rockland Harbor.
Both properties are within a short distance of downtown Rockland and Rockland Harbor.
The Bicknell Manufacturing Co. building was originally built in 1890 for Livingston Manufacturing Co., a producer of stone working tools and equipment, according to Davistown Museum.
Livingston’s second manager, Putnam Bicknell, purchased control of the company and changed the name of the company to Bicknell Manufacturing, which manufactured were chisels, blacksmith tools, ship scrapers and more.
Bicknell and other buildings on the property currently have tenants that include an auto body painting shop and a woodworking company, Landsburg noted.
“This was a great way to bring together Main Street and the working waterfront,” she said. “It’s a multi-use utilization of buildings that might not actually be suited to the kinds of industries they once had.”
Landsburg said she envisioned retail on ground floors and office and residential space for year-round rentals and purchase on upper levels. She said she envisioned moving the project along in phases that could begin with renovating the Bicknell building this summer. The project would involve both renovation and new construction, she said.
“It’s conceivable to do everything within five years,” she said.
Because of its size and the open nature of the interior, she said she envisioned the Bicknell building as an event space.
“The goal is to build for the community,” she said.
Councilors indicated they viewed the concept favorably.
“This is a wonderful plan,” said Ed Glaser. He added, “It would require a fair amount of work on the part of the council in terms of rezoning and investing some in infrastructure.”
Landsburg is an actor, director and writer. She recently directed a feature film, “Love & Debt.”
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