This week, the Buzz’s thoughts are turning to spring. And ice cream. And loading docks.

Lepage Bakeries received a permit last month for a $1.07 million project installing a pair of loading docks at 85 Cedar St., according to city records. One is 1,488 square feet, the other 2,164. In a site plan, they appear at the end of the 117,500-square-foot bakery and look to make truck flow easier.

Lepage has several locations in Lewiston including Cedar Street and another bakery that fronts Lisbon Street. Hebert Construction is the contractor for the new project. A corporate spokesperson at Flowers Foods, which has owned the company since 2012, didn’t return a request for comment.

A more than $1 million investment seems like good bread news.

Take two

The Lewiston Planning Board on Monday night voted 5-2 to support a contract zoning change that Avesta Housing would need to move ahead with a 35-unit, mixed-income housing development at 111 Blake and 82 Pine streets.

City Planner Doug Greene said the City Council will take up the zoning change next in a public hearing on March 19.

If it passes the council, the project itself still needs Planning Board approval.

Monday’s meeting was a redo — an initial planning board vote last month, in which the change passed 6-1, didn’t count because city officials discovered that notices hadn’t gone out to abutters.

The ice cream is coming, the ice cream is coming!

A not-at-all-exhaustive roundup of greater Lewiston-Auburn-area ice cream news, because sometimes, this job is tough like that:

Fielder’s Choice in Sabattus, Manchester, Brunswick and Old Orchard Beach opened March 6. (Its Auburn location is year-round.)

Dairy Joys in Lewiston and Auburn have announced that they’re opening March 21. Bethany’s Ice Cream in Mechanic Falls doesn’t yet have an opening date.

Ruby Rose Frozen Custard in Poland is shooting for mid-April, according to its Facebook page, and Hodgman’s Frozen Custard in New Gloucester says on its page it will open Mother’s Day.

Over in Auburn, Taber’s voicemail says, “See you in April.”

Tyler Angell, who owns Smiley’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Lisbon, says he’s working toward an April 1 opening. On Tuesday, he was at his mother’s ice cream shop, Main Street Dairy Treat at 688 Main St. in Lewiston, helping her get ready to open this Saturday.

“The city of Lewiston just came and turned the power on,” he said.

Gifford’s is opening its five locations Friday, including one in Auburn, with its annual free small cone giveaway from 6 to 8 p.m.

New this year: Unicorn Delight, described in a news release as a vanilla “fairy dusted with a pastel rainbow of confetti and then stirred together with ultraviolet bubblegum,” and a Maine-based nod with Aroma Joe’s PB mocha flavored ice cream, described as — get your napkin — AJ’s cold brew and chocolate ice cream “rippled with peanut butter and studded with chocolate chips.”

Quick hits about business comings, goings and happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 207-689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.

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