LEWISTON — Councilors are expected Tuesday to sign an agreement to help resurrect an abandoned, historic downtown duplex.

Three developers stepped forward with bids to renovate the old Androscoggin Mill Duplex house at 271 Park St. after the city began looking for developers.

City officials favor a proposal from Coastal Enterprises Inc. that would renovate the building, making two condominiums for median income housing buyers. According to that plan, CEI would pay the city $50,000 for the building. It would redevelop the property using $500,000 in federal Neighborhood Stabilization money and a $150,000 loan.

A competing proposal from CMCS Inc. would take the $500,000 Neighborhood Stabilization grant, plus $82,000 in other federal money to turn the building into four rental units. According to that plan, the developer would pay the city $1 for the building.

The third proposal from Developing Hope for Downtown LLC would cost $1.15 million and use the federal Neighborhood Stabilization funds plus  money from other sources  to turn the first floor of the building into a cafe and office space with loft-style apartments on the second floor.

Councilors are scheduled to review the proposals and vote on the purchase and sale agreement at a special meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The duplex is one of three built to house Androscoggin Mill managers in 1871. The city took over the property in 1992 and it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in April 2001. The city lists its value currently at $71,250.

staylor@sunjournal.com