BETHEL — After years of delays, a 38-unit condominium complex known as Bethel Station is finally set to break ground along Main Street (Route 26) between Parkway Road and Cross Street by June 1.

Despite its name, the project isn’t a train station — at least not yet. Developer Tony Donovan, who bought the 7-acre parcel in 2017, hopes it will someday sit alongside a revived passenger rail line connecting Portland to Montreal, with Bethel as a stop.

“I’m in Bethel because of the train,” said Donovan. “It’s my other world.”

A longtime rail advocate, Donovan has developed station sites in Portland, Brunswick, and other U.S. cities, often over five- to 10-year timelines. He noted the Bethel Chamber of Commerce was once a key player in earlier efforts to bring train service to Montreal through Bethel, particularly in the early 2000s.

Progress on his condo project stalled for years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, financing hurdles, and a town-mandated redesign. With updated plans – including a lowered roofline to meet local requirements – Donovan expects to begin foundation work by the end by June. Full build out is projected to take 12 to 18 months.

Financing was a challenge. “Franklin Savings Bank was helpful,” Donovan said, “but for the bigger project we had to find a national funding source. Investors were hesitant about a rural market like Bethel.”

The complex will offer one-, two-, and three-bedroom units priced from $540,000 to $860,000. Six ground-floor units will feature attached heated garages, and all units will include patios or wrap-around decks with views of the Androscoggin River and surrounding mountains.

Planned amenities include a community room, fitness center, ski and bike storage, EV charging stations, and three acres of open space with trail connections.

The development sits within a larger 25-acre subdivision created in the 1990s. Donovan noted that sewer, water, and road access are already in place via a town-owned “paper street” that runs from Mechanic Street to The Parkway.

He hopes to eventually restore an old barn on the site, possibly for a restaurant. But for now, he remains focused on the original vision behind Bethel Station.

“This is to tell the world that we’re ready for the train phase,” he said.

Bethel was once served by a ski train to Sunday River from Portland, part of a 1990s plan that ended due to financial challenges. While the Maine Department of Transportation currently opposes a Montreal line, Donovan and other advocates remain hopeful.