Photo / Maureen Milliken
Developers have been given the go-ahead to tear down the building at 298 Main St. in Yarmouth.
August 27, 2020
Yarmouth gives developers OK to raze Main Street building, first step in mixed-use project
Courtesy / Town of Yarmouth
A preliminary concept plan for mixed-use building at 298 Main St. in Yarmouth. Developers said they are still working on the design, with input from the community.
By Maureen Milliken
What did 298 Main St. used to look like?
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A building at 298 Main St. in Yarmouth can be torn down by developers planning a mixed-use project at the site in the heart of the village, the first step towards redevelopment of several sites that could transform downtown.
The rambling building — actually at least two buildings connected and added on to over the past century — has been deemed a public safety hazard by the town, so there was little question it could be razed. But the planning board, and residents who weighed in, were more concerned Wednesday night about what's going in its place.
Developer Matt Teare is proposing a four-story, 21,000-square-foot mixed-use building at the site, a development that's in many ways connected to the adjacent Railroad Square mixed-use project, which hasn't yet gone before town boards. The new building at 298 Main St. would have commercial space on the first floor and 16 condominiums on the upper floors.
The development group proposing the $4 million project, 298 Main Partners, includes Teare; Rob Barrett, of Barrett Made, as well as Tamson Bickford Hamrock, has a purchase and sale agreement for 298 Main St. with owner Jim Burgess.
The building has little space on the lot, and parking, utilities and access will be shared with the Railroad Square development, though the projects are separate and require separate approvals.
Teare also presented a preliminary concept plan for what would replace the building, but he stressed the design plan is only "to get the discussion going," and not a final design.
298 Main St. 'is a challenge'
The town's demolition delay ordinance, part of the character-based code ordinance passed in April 2018, requires further reviews of buildings considered to be "of value," and a delay in demolition. Buildings older than 75 years and in the village overlay zone must be determined not to be of value to get a demolition go-ahead. Value can be of historical value, architectural, or provide some value to the streetscape.
"Railroad Square has its challenges, and one of those is 298 Main St.," Teare told the board. "Changes have stripped it of any historical value and its current condition makes it impossible to renovate." Citing the safety issues, he added, "It's pretty clear it’s not a building of value."
A town inspection in January found safety problems with the building, and most officials at Wednesday's meeting agreed the building should come down.
Nick Ciarimboli, the town's building inspector and code enforcement officer said multiple buildings comprise the structure. "And there are numerous issues because of the way they’ve been combined. Most of it has been hidden under many layers, it's been chopped up quite a bit."
He said renovating the building would be difficult and not cost-effective. "Whether there's anything salvageable could be looked but, as far as resurrecting, it would be a very difficult task," Ciarimboli said.
Replacing the hole
While no one on the board argued to save the building, several members said they were concerned it would come down and nothing would go up in its place. And there was also concern about what would replace it.
Member Peter Thompson said that in his hometown of Bar Harbor, a downtown building was taken down and for the past seven years "it's nothing — just a big hole in Bar Harbor."
Resident Ed Ashley, too, said, "I don’t want to see a hole in the ground when we don’t know what’s to come."
Teare, though, said the demolition won't come until the redevelopment plan gets approval, because tearing down a building is expensive and part of the project financials.
"You typically would’t demolish a building until you have approvals and are ready to go ahead, because an expense," he said.
He said there are three residential tenants, a bike shop and law office in the building, and they are working with them on relocating.
Teare said Wednesday night that while the original plan is for condominiums, recent changes to the economy could also make apartments feasible. He also said that the development group continues to look for design input from residents as they work with the town.
Developers are also asking for waivers to the town's character-based building code on the building height limit — what's planned would be 44 feet, six feet higher than what's allowed by town ordinance — as well as on open space and parking requirements, because of the small footprint of the lot. Open space and parking would be shared with Railroad Square.
Courtesy / town of Yarmouth
A rendering of a preliminary plan for Railroad Square in Yarmouth, with 298 Main St. in the upper right corner.
Railroad Square connection
Concerns from residents about the project, with some including the Railroad Square project, were about its size, the modern design of the new building concept and impact on traffic.
Amanda Mitchell, owner of Delaney Arts at 20 Center St., said that the town's infrastructure, particularly traffic, wouldn't be able to handle the project. "It all seems it’s happening really quickly," she said.
She also questioned the scale and overall plans for both projects. "It's being framed as a community project, but I’m kind of wondering what community. Is it the community that's here now, or the community you’re advertising to?"
The Railroad Square project, on the adjacent 4.4 acres, would include an adult community of two three-story condominium buildings, each with 24 units at the back of the property.
Developers are also looking to rehabilitate the historic mill building on the site as a community center; the existing truck garage and Strong Bodies Fitness Center building would be rehabilitated to include art studios and the fitness center for both residents of Railroad Square and the public.
Developers are also working with the town and Maine Department of Transportation for improvements related to the railway line that runs through Railroad Square.
"The site has tremendous economic and community development potential," the concept plan says.
History of 298 Main St. in Yarmouth
City officials and developers of 298 Main St. say the building, actually two connected buidings with additions on the back, is a safety hazard and should be torn down. The building, more than 100 years old, has long been part of Main Street.
Courtesy / Yarmouth Historical Society
By 1910, the building at 298 Main St. was actually two buildings, connected by a narrow addition.
Then, in the 1940s...
Courtesy / Yarmouth Historical Society
By the 1940s, the two buildings and addition at 298 Main St. in Yarmouth were covered with one gambrel roof.
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Anonymous
November 29, 2020
Very nice explanation that sums up the months ( and years ) that have brought us to this point.
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