A Former Lewiston, Maine, Mill Will Be Converted Into Hundreds of Apartments

For decades, Lewiston was one of New England's biggest mill towns.  The massive textile mills that stretched along the Androscoggin River provided jobs for thousands of people.

Sadly, those days are over, but many of the old mill buildings remain.

In some ways, these old mill buildings are one of Lewiston's greatest resources.  As is the case with many other former mill towns, these buildings have begun to be redeveloped into other businesses.

Baxter Brewing Company's Pub at Baxter is a great example of this.

It appears this trend will continue with the creation of hundreds of new apartments.

According to an article on the WCSH 6 website, the city's planning board has approved a proposal to turn the old Continental Mill into hundreds of new apartments.

The article explains that the project, which is being facilitated by Chinburg Properties (the owners of the mill), includes the construction of 377 market-rate apartments and 40,000 square feet of retail space.  The entire project is expected to cost about $80 million.

Now that the developers have the approval of the planning board, they are working on finalizing construction contracts and getting necessary permits.

They hope to begin construction late this year or early next year.  There is no word on when the apartments will be ready for habitation.

Maine has been dealing with a housing crisis for years.  According to Maine Public, a recent study found that Maine needs over 80,000 new homes before 2030 in order to meet demand.  That means that over 15,000 new homes, condos, and apartments must be constructed yearly.