WATERVILLE — The Planning Board on Monday expects to consider revisions to a previously approved plan for the Alfond Youth Center on North Street that includes an expansion for a wellness center.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the council chamber on the third floor of The Center at 93 Main St. downtown.
The Harold Alfond Foundation in January pledged a $6.12 million grant to develop a whole family wellness project at the Alfond Youth Center, located at 126 North St.
The plan calls for an addition to be built on the northwest side of the current facility, and renovation of the existing building will create space for programs that promote family health and well-being.
The Planning Board will consider the revisions under the city’s subdivision and site plan review ordinance.
City Planner Ann Beverage said Friday that the board could vote on the revisions, expected to be minor, on Monday night.
“They can approve this revision to the plan without signing the site plan,” she said. “They could give conditional approval.”
Ken Walsh, president and chief executive officer of the Alfond Center, said last month that he expects construction to start in late spring or early summer, and officials hope it is completed by Thanksgiving. Harriman, of Portland, is the architect for the project; and Sheridan Corp., of Fairfield, is the contractor.
The Alfond Center is licensed to serve 250 children in its after-school program, and the wellness project will increase that number to 500, according to Walsh. The first floor of the Alfond Center will be renovated to include a youth wellness center, a teaching kitchen with a nutritionist and a chef, an indoor turf field, an additional gymnasium and family locker rooms. Teaching kitchen staff members will work with children and adults to teach them how to cook with ingredients they have in their homes.
The second floor will have an adult wellness center with fitness equipment, a child care center, a health care partner and an indoor running track. A welcome center, a teen space, a gathering area, community gardens and a greenhouse, plus 100 more parking spaces will be added as part of the project.
More than 15,000 square feet will be added to the building to create the wellness center, 60 parking spaces will be added on the northwest side of the building, and 65 spaces will be developed across North Street, according to center officials.
In other matters at Monday’s meeting, the board plans to consider revisions to a previously approved plan to expand Maine State Credit Union at 81 Grove St.
Members also are scheduled to consider a request by New Dimensions Federal Credit Union to rezone 19, 21 and 23 Summer St. from residential to a contract zone previously created for 94 Silver St.
Beverage said New Dimensions already received approval to rezone the former Amalfitano property on Silver Street, and now it wants to buy more property behind it that fronts on Summer Street. The credit union wants to build a new branch on the spot.
“They want to expand the project back to Summer Street, so they need rezoning to do that,” Beverage said.
The board also plans to consider an informal preapplication review for phase three of Holmes Farm North Estates off Stream View Drive, which is off County Road.
Kevin Violette is proposing to build a road off Stream View Drive that would cross Central Maine Power Co. property so he can access land he owns and expand the subdivision there. Spring View Drive got initial approval from the city in 1995 and the street was accepted in 1998, according to Beverage.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
Send questions/comments to the editors.
