LEWISTON — Ten years ago Monday, fire swept through three vacant buildings on Lisbon Street, blanketing the area with thick, gray smoke and forcing firefighters to battle the flames for more than 24 hours. Officials closed off that section of Lisbon Street for days, until what remained of the buildings could be demolished and cleared away. 

A decade later little has changed at the site. The lots at 167 Lisbon St. still stand empty, a gaping hole between the Professional Building and Centreville Plaza.

But things could look different by the fire’s 11th anniversary. 

Portland developer Nathan Szanton and his Szanton Co. have received state funding to move forward with a five-story, 63-unit apartment building on the site, complete with retail or restaurant space on the first floor.

The Maine State Housing Authority last week awarded Szanton and his company nearly $8 million in tax credits, $2.3 million in loans and a $120,000 subsidy. The project is expected to cost $12 million to complete.  

Eighteen projects applied for state help, according to Szanton Co. development officer Amy Cullen. The Lewiston project was one of five to get funding.

“It’s very exciting,” Cullen said. “It’ll be nice to have that hole filled.”

The fire was reported around 10:15 p.m. Dec. 19, 2006. The blaze tore through the former Marco’s Restaurant — which had moved two years earlier after another fire. As the fire spread, the roof and a couple of floors collapsed, creating pockets of fire that continued to smolder the next day. 

At least one witness told police that three teenagers had run from the building. Police soon arrested brothers Douglas Hersom, then 26, of Lewiston, and Timothy Giggey, then 27, of Auburn, as well as Troy Littlefield, then 17, of Lewiston. They were charged with arson and burglary.

Littlefield pleaded guilty and was sentenced to attend juvenile drug court for at least a year. Giggey pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Hersom pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Hersom’s lawyer said the three men were searching that night for scrap copper they could sell to buy Christmas presents. Although Giggey had said they set the fire to hide their attempt at burglary, Hersom’s lawyer said it was actually done out of boredom and stupidity.

Cullen said Szanton Co. hopes to start construction next summer. The apartment building could take about a year to complete.

When finished, the building will have one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with a mix of subsidized and market-rate units.

In addition to state funding, Szanton secured a tax-increment financing benefit from the city of Lewiston earlier this year.

“This is a great project, especially with the commercial on the first floor,” Lewiston Planning Director Gil Arsenault said Monday. “Everyone is excited about this.”

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