Flanked by local officials, Gov. Janet Mills cuts the ribbon on one of two apartment buildings at 16 Mills Road in Newcastle on Tuesday, July 29. Shown from left: Rep. Traci Gere, D-Kennebunkport, Maine Housing and Economic Development Committee, Mills, Lincoln County Commissioner David Levesque, Newcastle Select Board Chair Tor Glendinning, and project developer Rob Nelson. (Ali Juell photo)
Local and state officials gathered at 16 Mills Road on Tuesday, July 29 to celebrate the near-completion of a 16-unit affordable housing development after nine months of construction.
Gov. Janet Mills, who was in attendance at the ceremony, said the project is one of many examples of “affordable and efficient” housing going up in the state.
“These apartments are a good fit for the community and for the families who want to live and work here,” Mills said. “They’re also just the latest of our projects to address Maine’s housing needs.”
The property is made up 16 one-bedroom apartments in two buildings. The units are all designated as affordable housing, meaning tenants earn 80% of the area median income or less.
The units were constructed offsite by KBS Builders Inc. and delivered to the Newcastle site in December.
Rob Nelson, the project’s developer, said during the July 29 ceremony that each building was delivered as four boxes that were
then set in place with a crane.
“One day you’ve got bare foundations, and a week or so later, you’ve got full buildings,” Nelson said. “It’s pretty exciting.”
After receiving the units, on-site construction involved completing the units’ interiors, setting up plumbing and electric, and adding the buildings’ siding and porches.
The $5 million development was financed by the Maine State Housing Authority’s Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program and a grant from the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission.
A 2023 Lincoln County assessment estimated 1,300 new housing units, including nearly 900 affordable units, have to be built over the next decade to meet the county’s housing needs. In a per-town analysis, the study suggested Newcastle will need 56 additional units.
Lincoln County Commissioner David Levesque said during the ceremony the property adds “much needed housing opportunities to our county’s limited housing stock.”
At the property’s ground-breaking in October, Nelson said developing the parcel, which he has owned for around 15 years, would be “a step in the right direction” for the town’s housing supply.
The apartments have hardwood floors and new appliances. The complex’s amenities include a laundry room and storage spaces
for tenants. The complex is also partially powered by a roof installation of solar panels.
Nelson thanked the Newcastle Select Board, construction workers, contractors, and many more for their help getting the project
complete.
The adoption of a comprehensive plan in 2018 and core zoning code in 2020 by voters paved the way for such a development in the downtown village district, Newcastle Select Board Chair Tor Glendinning said.
“Ten years ago … we couldn’t have done this project in this zone,” Glendinning said. “The people that put in the time into the (comprehensive) plan and made the code changes have been the foundation for this project and hopefully many more.”
The units should be ready for tenants at some point between Friday, Aug. 15 and Monday, Sept. 1, according to Nelson.
Even though there’s still some interior work left, Nelson said it’s encouraging to celebrate the project being close to completion.
“It’s a big accomplishment,” Nelson said. “I think it’s a really cool addition for the community.”
For more information about the apartment complex, call Dooryard Management at 200-6864.
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