Construction is under way on Main Street in Gorham for a $13.5 million warehouse and office complex for Nappi Distributors.
Nappi, which is relocating to Gorham from Portland, will become Gorham’s fifth largest taxpayer and third largest employer. “We’re pleased to have Nappi here,” said Norm Justice, chairman of the Gorham Town Council, in remarks at a gathering of town officials and company executives for a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday.
Elmer Alcott, Nappi chief financial officer, said the company hopes to occupy its new building by next October. Alcott said the company, which distributes beer and wine, has 191 employees and 50 trucks. He said the company has been paying $200,000 a year in property and excise taxes.
The new building, fleet loading docks and parking will cover 15 of the 25-acre site that the company bought from John Merriman at 615 Main St. (Route 25).
Frank Nappi Jr., a company vice president, said the family company started in 1960 by three brothers, including Frank Nappi Sr., who became the company’s president in 1993.
Frank Nappi Jr. said his grandfather, Giovanni (John) Nappi, started a beverage distributorship in 1933.
He said the company has doubled in size since 1993 and now operates from seven buildings on Presumpscot Street, Portland. Since its inception, the company has been in Portland. He said the company’s move to Gorham would gain efficiency and house it under one roof. “We’re looking forward to the 155,000-square-foot warehouse in Gorham,” Nappi said.
Nappi office space will cover 22,000 square feet, more than half an acre, of the overall project. It becomes the first major warehouse and transportation business in Gorham.
Gorham rezoned the property and granted a tax break in the form of a tax increment financing district to pave the way for the project. Justice said the town council has long recognized the value of attracting more business to Gorham. “We’ve been out there promoting economic development,” Justice said.
Justice hopes that the “ripple effect” of the Nappi relocation would attract more business. “We expanded the industrial park to accommodate this project,” Justice said.
Frank Scherr is the architect and John Nelson is the construction manager. Both are employees of Beverage Distribution Facilitators International,LLC, of St. Louis, Mo.
“Its not just an organization, it’s a family,” Scherr said about Nappi.
Cutline (Nappi 1) ight. Gorham Town Manager David Cole is in the background. 
(Nappi 4) 
(Nappi 5) tion manager.
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