A Former Maine Hospital is Being Transformed Into Worker Housing

Like many places in the United States, Maine is dealing with a severe housing shortage.

It was bad before the pandemic, but the influx of people from outside the state during 2020 and 2021 only made the problem worse.

According to a report on the Maine.gov website, about 9,000 new homes will need to be constructed each year in order to meet our 2030 housing needs.

As we have seen over the last few years, getting approval for the construction of new houses and apartment complexes is slow.  Plans to create several new apartment complexes in Augusta and Waterville have been in the works for several years.

For example, a plan to construct a large apartment complex near the Marketplace at Augusta has been in the works for over a year.  Even though it is moving forward, with approval given earlier this year, ground has yet to be broken on the project.

Because of the pace at which these projects are approved, some people have taken to renovating existing buildings.  These old industrial, office, and medical facilities are being converted into apartments and condominiums.

According to an article on the WGME website, an old hospital on Park Street in Bath has been converted into 'workforce housing'.

Developer Dave Holman purchased the old building to turn it into a mixture of commercial and residential spaces.

The building already contains 30 apartments, and he has plans to create an additional seven units.  Dozens of businesses also rent out space in the building.

It is important to note that these units are considered 'workforce housing' and not 'affordable housing'.  The article explains that Holman chose workforce housing instead of affordable housing because it is generally easier to get approval for workforce housing.

The units, many of which are already rented, cost between $1,200 and $3,000 per month.

The additional units are expected to be ready for occupancy by December 2024.