AUBURN — The city is one step closer to permanently displaying the historic St. Louis bells, but officials are hoping to sell more commemorative bricks to offset the cost.

City staff recently received an updated rendering of the proposed 40-foot tower, which is slated to cost $109,000. 

The four bells, cast at the world-famous Paccard Foundry in France in 1915, were used in the tower at St. Louis Parish in Auburn until its closure in 2013. Since then, city staff and residents have worked to protect and secure a new home for them. 

The tower will be placed in the redeveloped Anniversary Park, formerly Little Androscoggin Park, off Pulsifer Street in New Auburn. The park is the centerpiece of a much larger New Auburn Village Center Revitalization project that is underway. 

The transformation will include a road, a new walking trail, green space and new commercial development space.

Until the work on the new park begins, city staff say they are focused on selling more bricks, which will be used to line the walkway near the bell tower. 

According to Liz Allen, communications and compliance manager, the city has sold roughly 40 so far. The 4- by 8-inch bricks go for $100 and each is engraved with a name or message of the buyer’s choice. 

When the project was first announced in July, officials said the goal was to sell 2,000 bricks. On Friday, Allen said the goal is simply to sell as many as possible.

“They will remain on sale for as long as possible — at least until next summer,” Allen said Friday.

Eric Cousens, the city’s deputy director of Economic and Community Development, said they are expecting updated plans for the site in January, with a final bid package for a spring construction start on the park.

Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque said Friday that the bell tower and Anniversary Park will “permanently memorialize” the city’s 150th anniversary celebration, which will unfold with a series of events in 2019. 

“This is a way for everyone in the city of Auburn to contribute to a brand-new anniversary park and this tower, which is in our gateway,” he said. “The bricks are a great way to memorialize individuals and families.” 

He said the timeline should line up with the bell tower being completed by the city’s 150th anniversary “Homecoming” weekend in October 2019. 

Levesque said the bell tower will be fully operational, meaning a computerized component will allow the bells to chime in various ways. The tower will also feature a time capsule, which will be put together by Auburn Library Director Mamie Anthoine Ney. 

Levesque said the remaining funds for the tower will be raised through corporate sponsorships and through remaining city funding for the overall park project. 

“Either way, we’re going to build this,” he said. 

Anniversary Park is next to the New Auburn Social Club and Rolly’s Diner.

It is considered a popular spot because of the hand-carry boat launch for paddlers, but city officials believe the revitalization project will create more economic development, and attract people with more green space, public plazas and spots for festivals or markets.

As part of the project, the city demolished three properties that were purchased to make way for the improvements. A large amount of fill was used to level off the area and take it out of the 100-year flood plain, and trees will be trimmed along the river to open up views. 

Next, the road and trail will be built, along with additional parking. Once the park is completed, improvements will be made to Main, Mill and Broad streets. 

About $1.1 million worth of work was done in 2018. Over the past three years, $758,883 has been spent on engineering, property acquisitions, demolition, permitting and utility fees. Another $800,000 was added to next year’s Capital Improvement Plan toward the project. 

Auburn’s commemorative bricks can be purchased at www.auburn150.com/bricks.

arice@sunjournal.com

A recent artist rendering of the 40-foot bell tower shows all four St. Louis bells in place. The city is hoping sales of commemorative bricks for the redesigned Anniversary Park can offset the cost of the $109,000 tower. (City of Auburn) 

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