Lewiston Housing proposing more development on Ash, Park streets

An early concept design shows a proposed housing development at 61 Ash St., which could feature between 64 and 72 units. A second phase would add more housing at 104 Park St., the former home of the Sun Journal. At left is Park Street, at top is Ash Street, at right is Bates Street and at bottom is Pine Street. City of Lewiston

LEWISTON — More housing development is in the works for the downtown block between Ash and Pine streets that is already slated to see considerable redevelopment.

Officials from Lewiston Housing outlined plans Tuesday for a multiphase housing development that will begin with between 64 and 72 units at 61 Ash St., with a second phase that would put more housing at 104 Park St., the former home of the Sun Journal.

Lewiston Housing, with its subsidiary the Lewiston Auburn Area Housing Development Corp., owns the majority of the block between Ash, Pine, Park and Bates streets. The Ash Street development would be erected on what is now a surface parking lot next to the U.S. Postal Service building.

In all, the project could place between 100 and 300 new units in a block that is already scheduled to see the “DeWitt” development, a 104-unit mixed-use project along Pine Street that is a major piece of Lewiston’s Choice Neighborhoods initiative. That project could break ground this fall.

According to Silas Leavitt, development project manager for Lewiston Housing, staff there has “long considered the other parts of the block,” like the Ash and Park street parcels “as kind of a Choice 2.0,” to continue the creation of needed housing and “maximize the use of the site for mixed-use community benefit.”

They also see it as a continuation of meeting the goals of Lewiston’s “transformation plan,” which led to the city receiving the $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant.

When chosen as the city’s development partner for the initiative, the parcels along Pine Street became Lewiston Housing property. Then, after the Sun Journal vacated its campus at 104 Park St., Lewiston Housing purchased that property.

Asked about the next phase of development Wednesday, Lewiston Housing Executive Director Chris Kilmurry said, “With so much momentum in the area, and so much need for housing, it just made sense” to use the downtown lots for in-fill development.

“We need housing more than parking,” he said.

The organization attempted the use the Park Street building for a temporary shelter last year, but was denied by the City Council. Kilmurry has said that redeveloping the site into housing would be a few years away.

Asked about the DeWitt project, he said Lewiston Housing is applying for 4% low-income housing tax credits from Maine Housing, and if awarded, construction could begin in the fall. The plan calls for 104 mixed-income units in two buildings along Pine Street with a total of 15,000 square feet of commercial space between the two buildings.

During a council workshop Tuesday, Leavitt said the organization will host stakeholder focus groups and a public meeting on the Ash Street proposal next month, and official design work will begin in March. They hope the Planning Board will conduct hearings and development review in May and June.

The developers said there are still a range of housing options for the project, including senior housing or multifamily housing. A likely scenario is that the project is also considered mixed-income, with 80% of the units utilizing tax credits and the other 20% market rate.

Some councilors said they would prefer senior housing given the need, while others said the location might be a better fit for multifamily. The Ash Street project could also feature ground floor commercial space.

Councilor Josh Nagine asked the developers to ensure that the commercial space will be used, imploring them to partner with people who could highlight the needs of potential businesses.

Mayor Carl Sheline said the city has seen recent developments where if the commercial space had been better designed “it might have been more rentable when it was done.”

Asked about the proposal Wednesday, Sheline said, “I enjoyed the presentation last night and look forward to learning more about the project. Building more housing is a priority for our city and I appreciate Lewiston Housing’s efforts.”