RUMFORD – Two proposals for the development of the former Thurston wood products mill were received by the River Valley Growth Council.
What will happen to the 72,000-square-foot building complex won’t be known for about a month, however, said interim council director Rosie Bradley.
The 11-person Property Management Committee of the growth council met for about an hour Monday afternoon to discuss the next step in the development project.
Bradley said proponents of both proposals will be interviewed in depth during the next week or so. She declined to provide information on what those proposals might be.
The council has outlined several requirements that must be met by the successful bidder. These include the number of jobs that would be created, the economic impact of the developer’s plan, and how the project would benefit the community.
The building complex and the surrounding 16 acres is located along Route 2 about three miles from town. It is part of the state’s designated Pine Tree Zone that grants a number of tax reductions and exemptions for specific businesses that locate there.
The property was donated to the River Valley Growth Council/River Valley Technology Center by a group of Auburn investors who had paid $110,000 at auction a year or so ago. The council required a minimum bid of $50,000 and is giving equal consideration to the cash price and number of jobs that would result.
Bradley said the final plans for the building complex will be announced through a news release by the end of February.
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