GARDINER — The developer of Gardiner Green, a proposed $6.6 million housing project, is expected to explain his plans Thursday at a workshop hosted by the Gardiner Planning Board.
Paul Boghossian, through his limited liability corporation, Hathaway Holdings, is proposing a phased redevelopment of 150-152 Dresden Ave., the former site of Gardiner Family Medicine, into 68 dwelling units — a mixture of apartments and condominiums.
This proposal was originally scheduled to be heard at the July 14 Planning Board meeting, when public hearing and site plan review were scheduled, but the item was withdrawn from the agenda.
At that meeting, Gardiner Mayor Patricia Hart said that after hearing feedback about the proposal from neighborhood residents and comments provided to other city and planning officials, she and city officials met with Boghossian.
“(We) explained the culture and the keen interest you all have in your neighborhood and how you all would like to provide input,” Hart said. “He graciously said he was very interested in doing so.”
At the same meeting, Planning Board Chairwoman Debby Willis apologized to city residents for holding a workshop on this application that was not public or publicly noticed and apologized to the Planning Board because only three of eight board members had attended that meeting.
“I take responsibility for that, and I will not allow that to happen again,” Willis said.
Willis said she was a supporter of the Heart and Soul community process that the city went through, and she values input from residents.
Last week, Hart said an initial concept workshop had been held, but without a quorum or materials provided in a timely fashion.
“There is no notice requirement for workshops,” she said via email. “Employees that are new did not realize that the Gardiner community has come to expect notice on land use matters.”
The property at the south end of Dresden Avenue is owned by MaineGeneral, but hospital spokeswoman Joy McKenna said Monday that MaineGeneral is in final negotiations to sell the property to Boghossian.
“We’re pleased that the property will be put back on the tax rolls, with a developer with proven results in our region,” McKenna said.
It is zoned for high-density residential use.
Boghossian has completed at least three rehabs of existing spaces, in Coventry, Rhode Island, and in Portland and Waterville.
The Waterville project was a $35 million adaptive reuse of the former C.F. Hathaway Co. factory into retail and residential space.
Boghossian is looking to develop Gardiner Green in three phases.
In the first phase, the original former hospital would be redeveloped into apartments — 11 studios and 14 one-bedroom and nine two-bedroom units.
In the second phase, the hospital’s south annex would be remade into four townhouse condominium units, and the boiler house would be remade into two townhouse condominium units.
In the third phase, the former Gardiner Family Practice building would be rehabbed into 11 townhouse condominiums. In addition, 17 new units would be built, a mix of freestanding and multiunit townhouses.
The project is expected to take three years, according to the application.
The meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Gardiner Fire Station on Church Street. The city will observe social-distancing requirements, and those who attend are asked to wear a mask.
Any resident who does not feel comfortable attending but has questions is asked to forward them to Tracey Desjardins, director of economic development for the city, at tdesjardins@gardinermaine.com.
At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, councilors will be asked to direct the Ordinance Review Committee to address a request to require public notices for Planning Board workshops and permits issued.
Send questions/comments to the editors.