Penobscot
Landing
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Economic Development Update - Winter 2002 Economic development in Brewer continues to move forward on a variety of fronts. Three issues continue to garner the most attention among City residents: Eastern Maine Healthcare; Wal-Mart; and the Penobscot Landing project. All have made progress in recent weeks. Eastern Maine Healthcare has already started their development on Whiting Hill (Outer Wilson Street). The entrance drive has been built, and site work on the property is underway. EMH plans on having their first structure, a 110,000 square foot Administrative office building, underway by April and complete by Fall of 2002. Once fully developed over the next 5-7 years, the site is also expected to house a new outpatient clinic facility, and two other buildings for other healthcare and professional services-related companies. Over half of this $62 million complex is expected to be taxable, and the site (once fully built out) is expected to create over 1,000 new and primarily high-paying jobs for area residents. Wal-Mart’s planned $12 million, 155,000 square foot Super Center on outer Wilson Street is moving forward. At this point, the project is only awaiting permits from the State. The project should proceed through the permitting process smoothly, and Wal-Mart expects to have their State transportation and wetlands permits in hand sometime late next summer.
The first year implementing Brewer’s waterfront plan for Penobscot Landing has been notable in terms of its progress. In November and December of last year, the City was notified that it had received Federal funds earmarked at $1.75 million for the waterfront. The passage of the State Transportation bond in November also set aside $2 million for the Brewer and Bangor waterfronts. These funds will be used to stabilize the shoreline and address other public infrastructure needs. Brewer is proceeding with its efforts to move its Public Works facility off the waterfront this summer, and has acquired property on Green Point Road for the new facility. In addition, the City has received significant private sector interest in our waterfront – far more than we expected this early in the redevelopment project. We have already experienced success through the addition of a new antiques mall and bakery on South Main Street and an insurance firm in the old bank building on North Main Street. Fortunately, these projects and the City’s overall development activity has not slowed much due to September 11 and the recent economic downturn. It is our hope that as these development projects come on-line in the next several years, Brewer may be able to reduce its tax rate and be better able to pay for the cost of its services. The Brewer Beacon, Winter 2002.
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The
City of Brewer