About 60 people filled the conference room at Norway Town Office on Aug. 27 for a public hearing on the future of the former Advertiser Democrat office building at 1 Pikes Hill.

When Planning Board Chair Dennis Gray announced the unanimous vote to move Dooryard LLC’s proposal to develop 14 apartments forward the room erupted in applause.

Of the 20 residents and business owners who addressed the board, at least four of them local landlords, their message was clear. Norway needs housing, especially for those who work in town, and the vacant three-story colonial building is a historically significant landmark that deserves to be saved.

Owner Todd Truman, a building contractor based in Oxford, heartily endorsed both the developer and its proposal. His application earlier this year to raze the mid-1800s building led to Dooryard’s involvement to save it.

“There would be no way for our company to be able to do what Dooryard can to save that building and make it profitable,” Truman told the board. “We need places for people to live.

And Dooryard founder and principal Kara Wilbur’s “track record shows that she can do it. Look where she’s come from and what she has done.”

Since it was built during the mid-19th century, numerous local businesses and community groups have also operated out of the office, including the Norway Grange, the Oddfellows, a marble monument shop, shoe store and even an early home of the Norway Public Library. It was the original site of Norway Savings Bank where in 1867 heist the the bank’s safe was blown up and contents stolen.

With board authorization complete, Wilbur said her team will apply to Maine State Housing Authority’s Rural Affordable Housing Rental Program by Sept. 3, the deadline seeking construction development funds.

The state-run program has emerged as a critical tool in revitalizing rural communities while addressing the critical need for affordable housing. State lawmakers allocated $37.5 million in April to continue it as part of the supplemental budget.

Other local projects proceeding through Maine State Housing’s program include converting Norway’s Odd Fellows building on Main Street into 16 apartments and redeveloping the 1800s Robinson Manufacturing Co. woolen mill into 77 apartments for seniors.

Dooryard has made a name for itself since 2021 as a reliable developer of affordable housing through Maine State Housing programs. The firm also taps into federal and state historic tax credits that save village architecture.

The former newspaper office near the head of Main Street fits well into the company’s model, which has established workforce housing in several Maine towns, including Rumford’s recently launched multiunit cluster known as 968 Prospect Ave.

“Workforce (housing) is needed in this town,” said Ryan Ricci, owner of Norway restaurant 290 Maine, apartments and other local businesses. “I am very much in favor of bringing 14 units to downtown Norway.”

Rents are determined by a state formula that calculates qualifying tenant salaries under 80% of median incomes. 

The prices will include utilities and are projected to be $1,288 for studio apartments, $1,380 for one-bedroom units, $1,560 for two-bedroom units and $1,912 for three-bedroom units.

Wilbur said Dooryard has worked with some towns, notably Yarmouth, to use tax increment financing to lower rents.

A few speakers raised counterpoints to consider. One was the appropriateness of an apartment building at the gateway of Norway’s business district. However, it was pointed out that the historic Gingerbread House, which has been restored, used to be part of the same general block along Main Street and was used for apartments for decades.

Another concern was the parking lot, which has been largely utilized by members and employees of a fitness gym in a brick annex of 1 Pikes Hill. Dooryard’s proposal reserves 18 spots for tenants and calls for commercial parking to transition to street and other public lots.

But with other business owners pointing out Norway has ample public parking a block removed from Main Street, the board voted 4-1 to accept Dooryard’s parking plan before unanimously approving the overall project.

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