186 Main St.- Mixed Use Development

The City of Auburn, Maine had requested proposals for the development for the city-owned property at 186 Main Street, Auburn, Maine.

The location of this property provided many attractive options. Our Team proposed a development that captured the natural and historic attributes of this location while also providing a vision for people looking for a unique housing option that included a vibrant urban experience.  Features of this design included walkable and bike-able accessibility to work to amenities and daily errands such as dining, city hall, shops, health care appointments, meeting up with friends and family; and access to natural environments for quiet enjoyment and exercise.

Attributes of this property we highlighted in our development are:

• Borders the beautiful Androscoggin River and pedestrian availability to Riverwalk
• Walkable and/or bike-able to hospitals; many businesses; City government; restaurants and retail shops in Auburn and Lewiston
• Its location along the route to the City’s planned revitalization of “New Auburn”
• Its location and access to other open/green space areas and across the river into Lewiston
• Provides an opportunity for residential living in a vibrant urban downtown with the beauty and character of historic buildings that have been thoughtfully and carefully preserved.

Our Team proposed a mixed-used development that would include:

• A new brewery with tasting room at Basement and 1^st floor (street level)
• New restaurant at street level
• Three commercial office spaces at the second level
• A commercial Meeting Room available for rent at the second level
• (8) Residential market-rate apartment units … four at the third level and four at the fourth level. Units would include balcony’s for either a view out onto the river or down onto bustling Main Street.
• The basement (lower level) would include the brewery; storage for commercial tenants; storage for residential tenants; and loading dock area.
• Accessibility from Main Street to Riverwalk via a lighted stairway along the south side of the building
• Outside seating/dining on Main Street, at river side of building at basement level and at the balcony on the river side.
• The building would support renewable power generation in the form of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels. This would be enough to make the business and residential levels (floors 2-4) Net Zero)

Development would be in accordance with the “Main Street/Elm Street Corridor Mixed Use District” in conformance with Auburn Comprehensive Plan and the Form-Based Code zoning district T-4.1.  (Please see details in tab 2.c Proposed Design)