A proposal to convert Gorham’s School Street United Methodist Church into commercial and retail use has drawn favorable comments from the Planning Board.
On behalf of Four Brothers, LLC, Michel Salvaggio outlined the plans for the church, which include a gourmet deli and a restaurant with a bar, to Gorham’s Planning Board Monday night.
The board’s reaction to the plans pleased Salvaggio. “I feel very happy with the Planning Board,” Salvaggio said. “After tonight, I feel confident. It’s gotten me more excited.
Salvaggio and his brothers, Angelo, Anthony and Marco Salvaggio, have a contract to buy the building from the church, which is looking to relocate.
The relocation of the church now hinges on the sale of their building to Four Brothers, which needs town approval for their plans to change the use of the building.
Both Salvaggio and the church came away from the meeting with hopes buoyed by comments from the Planning Board. “You’ve got a board here that wants to work with you,” said Planning Board member Tom Hughes.
Rev. Linwood Arnold, pastor of the School Street United Methodist Church, also was enthused by reaction from the Planning Board. “I’m encouraged. I’m real pleased,” Arnold said.
Salvaggio and the Planning Board members acknowledged that a lack of parking near the building would pose a problem. But Harold Grant, chairman of the Planning Board, indicated that some of the parking requirements might qualify to be waived.
Grant also mentioned the possibility of working out a deal to share the parking lot at Gorham Savings Bank when the bank was closed. “Parking is the biggest hurdle we have to get over,” Grant said.
Hughes agreed. “The big nut to crack is parking,” he said. “The parking situation has to be addressed.”
Salvaggio thought he might be able to work out a parking agreement with 7-Eleven or another nearby business. He also mentioned the town’s plans to create municipal parking for Gorham Village as a potential solution to the problem. “I’m willing to explore all possibilities. I’m open to anything,” Salvaggio said.
Planning Board member Mark Stelmack suggested that Salvaggio survey students on the campus at the University of Southern Maine to learn how much walk-in trade that his proposal might generate saying such a survey could reduce the requirements for parking.
Just how many parking spaces the project would require was unclear in the pre-application conference this week. “We haven’t calculated the number he would need,” Grant said after the meeting.
Salvaggio, who previously owned a restaurant in Denver, Colo., had estimated the proposal, including the cost to purchase the property, would require an investment of somewhere between $600,000 and $800,000.
The church has plans for a $1.7 million church at the intersection of Cressey Road and Route 25.
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