LEWISTON — Short on space and the proper setup in an aging facility, Lewiston’s Public Works Department is making plans for a new headquarters at its “operations center” on River Road.
The estimated $60 million project to erect four new buildings would require a local referendum, with officials eyeing a fiscal year 2028 timeline.
According to Public Works Director Kevin Gagne, the headquarters at 103 Adams Ave., built in 1947, is showing its age and presents difficulties for vehicle maintenance, storage and other critical needs.
Gagne said that as certain components of the facility, known as “the yard,” have faced replacement, they’ve considered phasing new items in over a number of years, but the 195 River Road location has the proper space for the department’s needs. So, Gagne said, it only made sense to eventually relocate the department under one roof.
If ultimately approved, plans would include a new municipal garage and new facilities for the roughly 85 employees who work at Adams Avenue, as well as the 15 at the River Road center. The department includes multiple divisions, including the arborist, highway, electrical, engineering, utilities and more.
Talks regarding a new facility began a few years ago under then-director Mary Ann Brenchick, with Public Works staff pushing for a new vehicle and equipment wash facility. That $1.8 million project is included on next year’s Capital Improvement Plan to be built at the River Road location.
A fuel island for the department that is in need of replacement will be decommissioned this spring at Adams Avenue, and a new one is already in place on River Road, ready to become active.

Lewiston Public Works Fleet Operations Supervisor Phil Brienza, left, and Public Works Director Kevin Gagne talk Tuesday afternoon in one of the antiquated buildings at the yard on Adams Avenue in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Gagne said the current facility doesn’t have the capacity to wash more than four vehicles per day. While most facilities have an upper mezzanine to wash large trucks from the top down, in Lewiston crews are using a set of mobile stairs such as those seen at Home Depot. There’s also not enough heated space during the winter to allow vehicles to dry indoors.
“It’s just larger vehicles than the 1950s and with no room to work on them,” he said, adding that the city has tried to standardize its fleet to make repairs and inventory easier. Still, he said, they’re running out of space as storage areas at the armory and other locations have been lost to other needs.
“After a storm, it takes us so long to wash the vehicles that we’re not doing good preventative maintenance, and our vehicles are rusting out more often,” he said.
Gagne said the city has looked at the River Road location with architects and engineers to work out estimates and plans for the work. He said they’ve looked at a timeframe for work anytime between 2027-30, depending on the potential referendum, funding and phasing construction.
“We will work with what the city and the taxpayers approve and try to do what’s in the best interest of the city,” he said.
Reached Tuesday, Mayor Carl Sheline said that while it could be a few years away, he supports the plan.
“While the details and final cost still need to be worked out, any investment in Public Works is an investment in our city’s future,” he said. “As our city’s largest department, they are crucial to keeping Lewiston running smoothly.”
If the plan ultimately comes to fruition, the city would be left with a vacant complex at Adams Avenue.
Gagne said there’s been some discussion about what the city could do with the property — potentially sell it to a private garage or use it for other community needs.
He pointed to recent talks on the need for an indoor turf facility.
“If you look at it structurally, you could have one heck of a turf facility for soccer and other things,” he said.
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