Jack Wiseman’s Lego recreation, right, of the former Simard Building that took up 311-315 Lisbon St. in downtown Lewiston back in the day. Wiseman, from Mechanic Falls, said his great-grandparents had a restaurant there, Ma Wiseman’s Cafe, in the 1940s and 50s, left, They lived in an apartment above the cafe. The upper flours were taken down after a 1996 fire. In more recent decades, it was the home to several social clubs.This week the property changed hands again. “It will be nice to see something done with the property,” says Wiseman. Photos provided by Jack Wiseman
This week the Buzz is waiting for what’s next.
Specifically, at 311 Lisbon St.
A former, frequent social club on Lisbon Street has a new owner. Despite saying 315 on the building, city records have the address at 311 Lisbon St. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
The Lewiston address, which has an inch-thick property file in the city code office that includes, among many things, a police memo mentioning Hells Angels and strippers, used to be four stories tall until a July 3, 1996, fire.
In the years since, according to city records and staff, it’s been home to the Midtown Club, South End Social Club and, briefly, a chem-free bar.
It was cited last year by the city for flaking paint and deteriorating masonry and for having a homeless encampment under the back porch.
In late April, it sold to Abdihakim Abdi from T&T Holdings for $47,000 by brokers Kevin Fletcher and Patrick Casalinova of Northeast Commercial Brokers at Keller Williams Realty, according to Mainebiz.
“We received a bunch of inquiries from people who used to visit the previous establishment who wanted to reopen it,” Casalinova said Wednesday.
Word is it might turn into a retail spot, possibly with takeout.
After sitting for 30 years outside the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, a rare, restored Constellation is now a cocktail lounge outside John F. Kennedy International Airport. Photo courtesy TWA Hotel/David Mitchell
Wait no more for the ‘Super Star’ Constellation
The big new TWA Hotel opened last month at John F. Kennedy International Airport and sitting outside as promised was the rare Lockheed L-1649A “Super Star” Constellation that had spent decades at the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport.
Exterior work began last year in Auburn before the plane took a slow trek to New York City. Its renovated insides are now a cocktail lounge; photos show the cockpit outfitted with dials and instruments of the era.
The 1958 plane was one of two Constellations once owned by Maurice Roundy.
And speaking of Roundy, and hotels.
The restored cockpit of the rare “Super Star” Constellation now at the TWA Hotel. Photo courtesy MCR
Airport Manager Rick Lanman back in March opened a short window for requests for proposals from developers interested in building a small, boutique hotel on 12 acres beside one of the airport’s runways, where Roundy’s former house now stands.
“We did get some questions and some developer interest, but we did not get any proposals,” Lanman said this week.
The request for proposals was open for less than three weeks and wasn’t advertised very far afield. He anticipates trying to gauge interest again “in a more substantial way in early fall.”
Quick hits about business comings, goings and happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.
This story was updated at 9:23 a.m. Thursday.
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