New roof at Bates Mill No. 5 will be paid for with federal money

PHOTO / RUSS DILLINGHAM Federal funding of $1 million will go toward the removal of asbestos from the distinctive sawtooth roof of Building No. 5 at the Bates Mill complex.

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By Laurie Schreiber

Federal funding of $1 million to renovate a building in Lewiston's Bates Mill complex could help developers overcome hurdles to finding more occupants for the space.

A request for funding the replacement of Building No. 5's roof was included in spending legislation that passed both houses of Congress last week. The city of Lewiston helped advocate for the funding.

The renovation would also include removal of asbestos and other contaminants from the Building No. 5 roof.

The need for contaminant removal and roof replacement have been major obstacles to attracting occupants to the space for years, according to a news release.

“This investment will pave the way for the revitalization of this historic building so that it will once again serve as a hub for jobs and economic opportunities,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District, added, “This investment will help remove some of the last big obstacles to development of the building and completing redevelopment of the Bates Mill complex."

At 350,000 square feet, Building No. 5 is the largest of eight in the Bates Mill complex, which occupies nine acres along Canal Street in downtown Lewiston and includes 1.2 million square feet of space.

The buildings date back to Bates Manufacturing Co.'s textile roots in the 1850s. Auburn-based Platz Associates, an architectural, engineering and construction firm, has worked on the complex's redevelopment since 1997.

According to the company's website, over 2,000 people now live or work at the complex, which includes banks, restaurants, offices and housing. At full build-out, employment in the complex could exceed 5,000 people.