The Center has begun working with leaders in Greenville, Maine, hoping to increase downtown housing for people who want to live and work in the community.  

“We have housing initiatives underway in Millinocket, and also in Lancaster, NH, St. Johnsbury, VT, and Tupper Lake, NY,” said Center President Rob Riley. “Our goal is to create housing options that will attract young people and make it possible for them to be part of the local workforce – teachers, medical staff, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, hospitality workers, and others.” 

While the project is still at a conceptual stage, the Center is working with the town of Greenville, Northern Light CA Dean Hospital, and the Moosehead Lake Regional Economic Development Corp. to explore options for building housing on an undeveloped 15-acre parcel on Spruce Street. 

Over the summer, Senior Program Director Mike Wilson discussed the housing concept at a meeting of the Greenville Board of Selectmen. The housing initiative would build on the Center’s previous work in the region, which includes providing grants to help downtown businesses improve storefronts, helping to redevelop the lake-front boardwalk and Crafts Landing Park, assisting Destination Moosehead Lake and the Moosehead Lake Regional Economic Development Corp., and providing business innovation grants to tourism-related enterprises. 

“We’ve been successful at creating really attractive, middle-market apartments in Millinocket and in Lancaster, NH, and we’d like to do the same in Greenville,” said Wilson. “We hear from the local hospital, school, and businesses that housing is a barrier to getting potential new hires to commit to moving to town.” 

Municipal services for water and sewer would need to be extended up Spruce Street to enable full development of the 15-acre site. “We’re talking about year-round homes for residents,” said Wilson. “If we can move ahead with the project, it would probably be a mixed development, with single-family houses and multi-unit apartment buildings.” 

If this project moves forward, the Center plans to pay full property taxes, despite its status as a tax-exempt organization, as it has done with its rental properties in other communities. “Our goal is to strengthen the communities we work with,” said Wilson, “and paying local property taxes is one way we do that.”  

Center staff will continue working with the town and partner organizations in the coming months to advance the potential housing development.