BIDDEFORD — A riverwalk, parking lots, areas of open spaces, pedestrian access and traffic could be part of the future of the mill district, according to design plans that were discussed Wednesday. Consultants from the Boston-based consulting firm Crosby/ Schlessinger/ Smallridge, LLC met with members of the mill district master plan steering committee at City Hall to discuss a draft of the plan, which is near completion.
The design of a master plan for the mill district was commissioned by the City Council more than one year ago in 2008. After taking the steering committee members’ comments into account, the consultants hope come back with a final version of the plan in September, which they will present to the City Council.
If accepted by the council, the plan will not mandate what private developers who own the mill buildings can do with their property, but it will provide a guide of how the district can be developed.
There are a number of elements of the plan, which envisions a mix of residential, industrial and office and retail space occupying the 40-acre district. It includes 35 buildings, encompassing more than two million square feet of floor space.
The plan focuses on public uses of the district, rather than how individual private owners will develop their sites.
Key elements include: An open space system which would contain a riverwalk, parks and plazas, and pedestrian paths throughout the district that connect to Biddeford’s downtown and to Saco, including the Amtrak train station; a visitor center; a sign and wayfinding program; and parking facilities.
Development of the district, which the consultants predict could take upwards of 20 to 25 years before it is built out to capacity, will probably involve a public-private partnership.
For instance, the first phase of a riverwalk, which is already in the works, is being financed by a state grant.
The local match for that grant for the riverwalk, which will start near Mechanics Park on Water Street and end at the entrance of North Dam Mill, is paid through the improvements that North Dam Mill owner Doug Sanford has made to his property.
Other types of available grants are also discussed in the plan.
City Manager John Bubier brought up the possibility of the city purchasing the WestPoint Home buildings which are for sale, at a cost of $2.25 million, now that manufacturing at the site has ended.
Bubier’s suggestion would be for the city to keep some parts of that property and sell off the rest. As suggested in the master plan draft version, an area on that site would be ideal for a parking structure.
One major concern relating to traffic that was discussed Wednesday was how to design traffic flow at the intersection of Main and Water Streets. Consultant Carole Schlessinger said the traffic engineers her firm hired recommended a four-way intersection with a traffic light and lining up the Water Street with the North Dam Mill.
Steering committee members expressed concern about that design. Some suggested a one or two-lane roundabout. The merits of creating a one-way circle between Biddeford and Saco’s Main Streets, brought up by Bubier, was also discussed.
The consultants have presented earlier versions of the plan to the public on several occasions.
The plan, which is costing approximately $60,000 to produce, was financed through a federal grant and from tax incremental finance districts funds. These funds are raised from new property tax revenue from specified areas of the city, which is directed toward some city improvements and infrastructure projects.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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