The new project
will cover 46 acres.
LEWISTON – Work on a new seven-lot business park off of Plourde Parkway could begin in the next few weeks, with its first building opening in the spring.
First, the city would have to sign off on a model building for the site, according to Engineer Michael Gotto of Technical Services Inc. Gotto represents property owner Dave Gendron.
“I’m talking with Dave about doing a spec-building right away,” Gotto said. “That way we’d have something to show people that are interested.”
The park will go on 46 acres southeast of Plourde Parkway, across from the site of Wal-Mart’s planned distribution center. The city Planning Board approved the business park at its July 21 meeting.
The new park should attract businesses similar to the ones in the South Lewiston Industrial Park.
“That means a variety of different uses, from offices to light industrial,” Gotto said.
The property is divided up into seven lots ranging from four to 16 acres. They have room for buildings up to 100,000 square feet, Gotto said.
The project is tied to both the Wal-Mart distribution center and the relocation of Plourde Parkway, according to Lincoln Jeffers, Lewiston business development manager.
“We’ve been talking about this project since we first started discussing the Wal-Mart project,” Jeffers said. “It was part of the city’s incentive to help get the land for Wal-Mart.”
The city convinced Gendron to sell some of his land west of Plourde Parkway to Wal-Mart for their distribution center. In exchange, the city agreed to build a road for his business park.
City crews have started relocating utility lines along Plourde Parkway to prepare for the Wal-Mart center and the industrial park. State crews are scheduled to begin relocating Plourde this fall, to make room for the Wal-Mart center.
“We expect to begin working while they’re moving the road,” Gotto said. “If that happens within the next few weeks, we could have our spec-building ready next spring.”
Jeffers said businesses have already approached the city about the business park.
“This is out there, and we’ve been contacted several times,” Jeffers said. “People are interested. We need this inventory of land for new businesses right now.”
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