MHProNews last posted a story about the project, called 82 High Street, May 23, 2016 when Keiser Homes went bankrupt and Farmington had to find another builder. A deposit was made with Keiser for the homes which the contractor, Cousineau Inc. of Wilton, Maine has sued to have returned, but will continue the housing project for people of low/moderate income regardless.
Now, according to dailybulldog, Kent Homes has been chosen to build the homes, and because it is a larger operation, the homes may be fast-tracked. 82 High Street originally built the apartments almost 30-year ago with funding from local churches, Western Maine Community Action and Maine Housing Authority which bought the property from a private owner.
The property includes 17 manufactured homes behind the buildings that were updated in 2010, and just last year new water and sewer lines were installed. The $500,000 CDBG grant, approved by the current residents, will be combined with a $500,000 federal Home Loan Bank grant; a $540,000 loan for the project was secured late last year with the help of Franklin Savings Bank personnel to round up the total funding for the $1.5 million build.
The wood frame apartments will be razed and replaced with 12 apartments consisting of three, two-story, modular four-unit buildings. Two of the modular buildings are scheduled to be completed by Sept., the third by October.
The town manager, Richard Davis, commended the leaders of 82 High Street for their efforts on this project, as did several Selectmen. ##
(Photo credit: dailybulldog–three low-income apartment buildings that will be demolished and replaced with modular apartments in Farmington, Maine.)
