Final Draft River Front Master Plan 2012

7/31/2019 Final Draft River Front Master Plan 2012

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Ci Lewis, ME

Rierr Islad Maser Pla Cmmiee

Gd Clac

May 2012

riverfront island master plan


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cwgm

RiveRfRont island MasteR

plan advisoRy CoMMittee

Rber Macdald, Ci Lewis-Mar20122014

Larr Gilber, Ci Lewis-Mar20072012

Paul Robinson, City o Lewiston-Planning

BoardEric Potvin, City o Lewiston-Planning Board,

YPLAA

Steve Morgan, City o Lewiston-City Council

Chip Morrison, Chamber o Commerce

Tom Platz, Platz Associates

Paul Roy, LA Magazine

Jonathan Labonte, Androscoggin Land Trust

Bob Thompson, Androscoggin Valley Councilo Governments

Jim Lysen, St. Marys Regioanl Medical Center

Len Tracy, Continental/Hill Mills

Ray Lagueux, Franco-American HeritageCenter

Rachel Desgrosselliers, Museum L-A

Hillary Dow, YPLAA, Future Forum

Mark Lee, Harriman Associat es and YPLAA

Steve Costello, Sun Journal

Michael Dostie, Dostie Jewelers

Mark Cayer, City o Lewiston-City Council

Consultant teaM

G Cc

W-ZHa

dm ac

smr M

oRW lc archc & pr

Wr & Crr

Te City o Lewiston wishes to acknowledge the contributions o the many

members o the Lewiston-Auburn community who participated in this process

through interviews, meetings, workshops, tours, the project website and email.

Te City thanks US Senator Susan M. Collins, her sta, and the entire Maine

congressional delegation or assisting in the unding o this project.

Te City thanks the Franco-American Heritage Center, the Bates Mill Complex,

and Museum L-A or their generosity in hosting public meetings.

Te City also wishes to thank those who provided several o the photographsound within this document: Daniel J. Marquis Photography, Christina

Epperson, Dave Gudas, the Androscoggin Land rust, the Franco-American

Heritage Center, Museum L-A, and Lyme Properties.


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i

1 irc

Overview 3

Process 6

How to use this plan 9

2 lw t

Economic context and market potential 13Planning context 16

3 th p 21

Tap the power o the River 26

Attract a vital mix o new uses 34

Make the district more walkable 42

Insist on quality 52

4 imm 53

table of Contents


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riverfront islandmaster plan

ii


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1

1 Introduction


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3

Aquiet renaissance is underway

along Lewistons downtown

riverront. Over the last ten years,

both Lewiston and Auburns central areas

have begun to reorient themselves to ace

the Androscoggin River. A great river, once

harnessed to produce the power that drew

industry to the twin cities, can now again

be the spark that denes the communities.

Te riverront can become the regions great

urban destination, a place or recreation,

cultural activities, work and urban living.

ReCent suCCesses

Despite severe economic headwinds, much has

been accomplished in recent years. Collaborative

partnerships involving public, private and non-

prot entitiesand a shared commitment to

supporting reinvestment in the community

have drawn new businesses and destinations to

Lewiston-Auburn.

Riverront Island, a pivotal area within the c itys

downtown riverront, has come to host more than

1,000 jobs within the Bates Mill Complex, where

high-quality restoration has attracted major oce

uses, destination restaurants, a brewery, a medical

oce, and new lo-style housing now under

construction.

At the same time, new cultural destinations and

outdoor spaces are also bringing activity to the

Riverront Island area. A ormer church now

houses the Franco-American Heritage Center, a

perormance venue that draws thousands to the

area each year. Museum L-A, a dynamic non-prot

devoted to telling the 200 year story o work and

community in Lewiston-Auburn, has begun to

design their new homea modern museum space

on the Rivers edge that will incorporate portions

o a ormer mill building. Once an abandoned

rail yard, Simard-Payne (Railroad) Park is now a

major public space along the River, and home to the

annual Great Falls hot air Balloon Festival. A ormer

rail bridge is now a pedestrian and bike bridge,

linking Simard-Payne Park in Lewiston to Bonney

Park in Auburn, and providing striking views o the

River. A Lewiston-Auburn Riverwalk has begun

to take shape on the Auburn side o the River, and

paths have been established along portions o the

Lewiston riverront as well.

overview

ERIC PotvIn


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4

Redevelop Island

Point for ofce,

institutional and

related uses

Move forward

with a new

waterfront hotel

Create a Riverwalk

along the entire

downtown

waterfront

Create a new

amphitheatre at the

waters edge, and a

dock for small boats at

Simard-Payne Park

Advance

development of the

Museum L-A facility

on the waterfront

Reuse

Continental Mill

for loft housing

Continue to add

housing and other

uses within the

Bates Mill Complex

Add new workplaces

to Hill Mill, reecting

its current diverse

mix of businesses

Improve connections

between Lisbon

Street and the

riverfront

Redevelop Bates Mill

#5 site with a new

Canal Park, retail and

possible civic uses

Improve streetscape along

the canals and promote

housing development

along Oxford Street

Create a Canal

Walk linking

downtown and the

riverfront


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6

Between September 2011 and April 2012,

members o the Lewiston-Auburn com-

munity came together to create a vision and

plan or continued revitalization o the Riverront

Island area. Several hundred Lewiston and Auburn

residents contributed to shaping this plan.

Tis initiative builds on a number o recent planning

eorts undertaken by entities within the community

and region. Tose plans include: Strategic Plan or the City o Lewiston (2010, City

o Lewiston)

Downtown Neighborhood Action Plan (2009,

Downtown Neighborhood ask Force)

ProCeSS

Throughout the planningprocess, members o the

Lewiston-Auburn communityemphasized the ollowing asimportant goals:

TheL-Acommunityhasarich heritage, still visible in

the areas historic buildingsand canals. This plan shouldpreserve that heritage wherepossible.

TheL-Acommunityincludestwo cities: Lewiston and

Auburn. This plan shouldconsider both communities.

Theriverfrontareashould be the catalyst orenhancing downtown asa whole, including LisbonStreet, and L-As downtownneighborhoods. The planshould help strengthen and

connect those areas that liejust beyond the Riverront.

TheplanshouldhelpimproveRiverront Island in ways

that contribute directly toimproving quality o lie andopen new opportunitiesor residents o adjacentdowntown neighborhoods.

Commu Goals

Te Peoples Downtown Master Plan (2008, Te

Visible Community)

Connecting the Futureransportation Plan or

20092030 (2008, Androscoggin ransportation

Resource Center)

Bridging the GapsA Long-Range Facilities Plan

or Bicycling and Walking in the ARC Region

(2008, Androscoggin ransportation Resource

Center)

Lewiston/Auburn Downtown CBD rafc Study

(2007, Androscoggin ransportation Resource

Center)

LA Excels (2000)

TeAndroscoggin Greenway Project, an initiative o

the Androscoggin Land rust, was underway during

development o the Riverront Island Master Plan.

Te planning teams worked to coordinate these

related eorts.

Te Riverront Island Master Plan was sponsored

by the City o Lewiston and led Goody Clancy, a

Boston-based urban planning, architecture and

preservation rm. Te ull planning team includedW-ZHA (real estate / economic development), Des-

man Associates (parking), Smart Mobility (trans-

portation planning), ORW Landscape Architects &

Planners (landscape architecture) and Woodard &

Curran (engineering).


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> Sd Area Wal & tal

September 14, Riverront Island Study Area

Participants joined City sta and the consultantteam or an inormal lunchtime walking tour

o the Lewiston r iverront area. Participants

described aspects o the community and study

area that they valued, and thoughts about how

the riverront could evolve to better serve the

community and region.

> Pblic Meeig #1:

oppriies & Challeges

November 16, Franco-American Heritage CenterParticipants reviewed ndings related to

economic and market conditions, and to physical

opportunities and challenges. Participants then

worked in small acilitated groups to discuss

opportunities related to the river; new uses

and destinations; and pedestrian and vehicular

connections.

Te planning eort included three phases, each

involving community input and discussion.

Phase 1: Aalsis ad GalsInvestigation o

opportunities and constraints through review oprior studies, physical and market analysis, and

stakeholder interviews

Phase 2: AleraiesDevelopment o alterna-

tive scenarios or the uture o Riverront Island

Phase 3: Maser PlaDevelopment o a vision

and plan or the uture o Riverront Island

Key components o the Master Plan process in-

cluded: Rierr Islad Maser Pla Adisr Cm-

miee: A 20-person Advisory Committee met

throughout the master plan process to review pre-

liminary ndings and plan elements, to provide

insights and eedback, and to guide the planning

eort. Te committee included a broad range o

stakeholders.

Pblic Meeigs & Ees: At public meetings

and events, members o the community reviewed

preliminary study ndings and evolving plan ele-ments, provided thoughts and ideas, and engaged

in a community-wide discussion about the uture

o this important area. A summary o public

events is as ollows:

Community members discussed opportunities and challenges or the riverront at a study area Walk & Talk.


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> Pblic Meeig #2: Aleraie Scearis

January 18, Bates Mill Atrium

Participants viewed a presentation describing

potential directions or the riverront area. Te

presentation highlighted areas o broad local

agreemente.g., a continuous public riverwalk,

better use o the canals, a more walkable, bike-

able environmentand areas o diverging opin-

ion (e.g., the uture o challenging Bates Mill

#5). Participants then worked in small groups

to conrm common goals and to discuss three

uture scenarios or the Bates Mill 5 site: inten-

sive reuse o the existing Bates Mill 5 building;

redevelopment o the site as a signature canal

park; and redevelopment o the site or retail

and parking.

The project website provided a orum or project

inormation and community comment.

At public meetings,

community members

shared ideas or how the

downtown riverront could

be improved.

> Pblic Meeig #3: Fial Pla

April 4, Museum L-A

Public Meeting #3 ocused on a presentation o

the master plan. Plan recommendations were

broadly endorsed by meeting participants.

Several participants representing area entities

expressed an interest in urther involvement to

move the plan orward.

Websie, Pblic Cmme Frm: A project

website (www.riverrontislandmasterplan.com)

provided a place or the community to nd

inormation about the planning process, to reviewpresentations and dra documents, and to oer

thoughts and comments via an email comment

box and survey questions.


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this plan establishes a physical vision or the

Riverront Island area. As you review this

plan, it may be useul to remember that:

Tisdocumentisintendedtoserveasaroad-

map that will help the City and residents think

about and move orward with eorts to strength-

en this important area. It is also intended as an

advocacy tool, or sharing Lewistons vision and

generating excitement within the community, the

broader region, and beyond. Te plan provides astatement o the communitys vision, and lays out

the steps or achieving that vision.

Teplanidentieskeyprioritiesforimplemen-

tation that will help direct resources, as they

become available, to the projects that are likely

to have the most impact on the area. Ultimately,

projects may happen in a dierent sequence than

is described in the plan.

Tesketchesanddescriptionswithinthis

document are intended to provide a broad sense

o how particular projects should unction to

advance the community goals. As projects are

designed and initiatives move orward, they

probably wont look exactly like the images in this

document, but they should address the intent o

the plan.

how to uSe thiS Plan

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2 Lewiston Today


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1/2-mile0 1 mile nrh


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the Lewiston-Auburn metropolitan area (An-

droscoggin County) is located in south-cen-

tral Maine, less than an hour drive rom the

ocean, the mountains, and rom Portland, Augusta,

and Freeport. Te areas strong interstate access

places 50% o Maines population within a hal hour

drive o the County. ogether, the cities o Lewis-

ton and Auburn are home to approximately 60,000

residentsa population exceeded in Maine only by

Portland. Lewiston-Auburn is the regions economicand cultural center, serving Androscoggin County

and the large trade area o central and western

Maine. Given its size alone, LewistonAuburns suc-

cess is important to Maines economic development.

Lewiston-Auburn is a regional center or healthcare,

education, culture and shopping. On the Lewiston

side o the River, within 1.2 miles o the downtown

riverront, are Central Maine Medical Center (one

o the states three largest medical acilities), St.Marys Regional Medical Center, Bates College,

University o Southern Maines Lewiston-Auburn

College, nancial and proessional service compa-

nies, as well as hotels and retail.

Lewiston-Auburn is also an employment center.

Tere are approximately 50,000 jobs in Androscog-

gin County. Lewiston is home to hal o these jobs.

LewistonAuburns key industries include health

care, highprecision manuacturing, transportation

and logistics, and nancial services. Bates College is

also a very important anchor in the LewistonAu-

burn economy. Within a veminute drive o the

Riverront Island master plan area there are ap-

proximately 9,500 households and 7,000 employees.

LewistonAuburn has many assets. What Lewiston

Auburn needs is growth. Growth can come romcapitalizing on existing market opportunities as

well as developing or strengthening existing market

niches. In terms o the downtown, areas o potential

opportunity include medicalrelated investment;

additional oce space; tourism, recreation, arts and

entertainment uses; and housing.

Capitalizing on these market opportunities will

require that initiatives be coordinated and invest-

ment be leveraged to generate maximum spino.An overarching emphasis on quality will be essen-

tialin keeping with the example o Bates Mill, a

redeveloping mill complex at the heart o the study

areaparticularly since LewistonAuburn will need

to shed its old image as a struggling mill town.

Initiatives need to be coordinated because op-

portunities may be limited in the nearterm, but

sustaining LewistonAuburns recent successes

and current market buzz is very important.

Investments need to be clustered to build on the

downtowns strengths. Only with critical mass can

Downtown oer a multipurpose, enriching ex-

perience. Lewiston has an image as an old manu-

acturing town, it must now evolve into a hip,

diverse urban destination. Markets are attracted to

places that invest in quality, whether the invest-

ment is in buildings, amenities or inrastructure.

Shared vision and commitment among public

and institutional stakeholders will be critical to

the areas success in realizing its potential. o

be successul, residents, policymakers and the

major institutions in LewistonAuburn must not

only support the communitys vision, but become

meaningul participants in its implementation.

While there are market opportunities, market

driven development must be supplemented bypublic and institutional investment. Meaningul

investments by area corporations, the hospitals,

Bates College and other major local and regional

stakeholders can signicantly enhance Riverront

Islands market potential and transormation. In

the near-term, public subsidy will continue to be

critical to project easibility.

eConoMiC ConteXt & MarKet Potential


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Areas o market opportunity include:

HousinG

Compared with the region and state, housing inLewiston is older and less expensive. 4 percent o

Lewistons housing stock was constructed in the last

decadein contrast to 9 percent statewideand

housing in Lewiston is 53 percent less expensive

than housing in Portland. Tere is no new urban

residential product in either Lewiston or Auburn.

Analysis shows unmet demand or urban-ormat

housing options. One and twoperson households

account or twothirds o all households in An-droscoggin County, and 73 percent o households

in Lewiston. Over 40 percent o Androscoggin

County households are in the target market or

urban living. Tese households are retirees, empty

nesters and younger singles and couples and small

amilies with tastes and preerences aligned with

urban living. Yet 55 percent o the housing stock in

the County consists o single amily homes. Tere is

mismatch between household type and the housing

stock in Lewiston. Te lack o competitive housingsupply to support the middle and upper levels o the

market may be an economic development issue. o

grow and prosper the City must oer the kinds o

housing products the market demands.

Retail

Because Lewiston-Auburn is clearly the retail,

service and employment hub or the region, retail

sales are higher than local households spending

power. Retail sales in the cities accounted or twothirds o the Countys total sales in 2010. ogether,

retail sales in LewistonAuburn are 64 percent

higher than what their residents could spend. With

approximately 9,500 households within a vemin-

ute drive o Riverront Island there is potential or

new downtown convenience goods (ood and drug

stores) specialty retail, and eating/drinking estab-

lishments.

offiCeWhile downtown LewistonAuburn continues to be

a business hub, vacancy remains high. Current rents

do not cover the cost o new construction. However,

business growth will drive the demand or addi-

tional oce space downtown or both general and

medical oces. It is likely that most o this growth

will be absorbed in existing oce space. Tere may,

however, be an opportunity or new buildtosuit

oce buildings. Riverront Island is an excellent

location or new owner occupied oce buildings.

aRts & CultuRe

In 2008, arts, recreation and amusement industries

accounted or only 0.8 percent o the Countys

total jobs. Tese same industries accounted or 1.5

percent (or more) o employment in the State and

Poeal o Housg:

Approximately 110210market-rate residentialunits in downtownLewiston over the next5 years, and up to 400units total by 2020provided that units oerurban amenities such asviews o the River, strongconnections to downtownand Auburn, and lot

amenities like exposed

brick walls, wood oors,large windows, and highceilings. Potential orhousing units will increaseas amenities and servicesare developed in thedowntown area.

Poeal o CoveeceGoods: A ood-anchoredshopping center

Potential for Eating &

Drink Establishments:14,000 square eet o eatingand drinking space by2021 (e.g., two ull-servicerestaurants and two to fvesmaller establishments)provided that the Riverbecomes a recreationdestination and the canalsa unique urban experience.

Poeal o Ofce

Space: 200,000 squareeet o ofce space willbe demanded rom typicalofce inclined industriesincluding medical ofces.There may be additionalofce/back-ofceopportunities that ariserom other industries ororganizations that decide

to have a downtown

presence. The key to

attracting this investmentwill be to direct growth tolocations that oer goodaccess and a range oservices nearby

Poeal o Hoel Space:Plans or development o a100-room hotel on LincolnStreet are underway

Mae Poeal hough 2021


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in Cumberland County (Portland) and Penobscot

County (Bangor). Given its size, location, history,

the River and canals, and the presence o Bates Col-

lege, it appears the LewistonAuburn is not capital-

izing on this potential industry. LewistonAuburn

has the potential to enhance its economy via the

development o the arts and recreation. Te arts and

the creative economy have proven to be signi-

cant economic development drivers. Te creative

economy includes artists, crasmen, technology

companies, media companies and a wide range o

valueadded industries. Tese types o uses tend to

cluster and oen are attracted to inexpensive space

in urban locations.

Hotel

Reportedly, the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown

Auburn is perorming well as is the newest hotel

in Lewiston-Auburn, the Residence Inn. Picking

up on the success o these newer hotels, a national

hotel network has recently committed to developing

a 90+-room hotel on Riverront Island. ogether

this new hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn will oer

almost 250 quality hotel rooms downtown. As ame-nities are developed on Riverront Island that attract

local and visitor markets, these hotel rooms will

help L-A grow the recreation and tourism industry.

liGHt industRy

Te mills in the riverront area oer large expanses

o space at relatively low cost. Tese low cost, fex-

ible spaces are well positioned to capitalize on the

national maker movement. Te maker move-

ment is an outgrowth o the DIY (Do-It-Yoursel)

trend. Tere is a renewed interest in small business

development that has been bolstered by changes in

technology, open source hardware, cost reductions

in small scale manuacturing and a variety o other

social and economic orces. Makers bridge the gap

between creative arts and cutting edge technology

and in most cases they do this through an open,

collaborative paradigm rather than the more con-

ventional, competitive paradigm. Tere may be an

opportunity to oster entrepreneurship in Lewiston

and a maker community in the riverront area

or instance, in the Hill Mill.

An interesting example o this is echShop in

Durham, NC. echShop is a membership organiza-

tion much like a tness center. Te dierence is that

rather than paying to access tness equipment, in

echShop you access tools and equipment. ech-

Shop provides members with tools and equipment,

instruction and a community o creative and sup-

portive people. Tis allows members to build the

things they have always wanted to make.

businesses tHat Would benefit fRoM

fibeR-optiC infRastRuCtuRe

echnology access, connectivity and speed have

emerged as three o the most important consid-

erations or business in the 21st Century. Tus,

it is not simply location, location, location, but

location, location, connection in the new econ-

omy. Due in large part to the presence o Oxord

Networksa Lewiston-based ber-optics rm that

moved its corporate headquarters to the Southern

Gateway area on Lisbon Street, just southeast o

Riverront IslandLewiston has emerged as one

o the ew small ber cities, with pervasive high

speed ber-optic inrastructure. Tere is a real op-

portunity to leverage this inrastructure to attract

new businesses to the Riverront Island area and

generate regional economic development.


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Planning ConteXt

the neighboring cities o Lewiston and

Auburn are so closely linked by geography,

history, and economics that they are oen re-

erred to collectively as Lewiston-Auburn or L-A,

and thought o by many local residents as a single

community spanning the Androscoggin River.

Te character o both communities downtown areas

is infuenced by both the striking natural environ-

ment o central Maine and L-As history as a greatindustrial center. Te Great Falls o the Androscog-

gin River, which once ueled production o textiles,

shoes and more beore an era o decline that began

in the 1950s, continue to provide a dramatic ocal

point or both downtowns. Te Androscoggin River,

once polluted by the industry it ueled, now rolls

cleanly between the two downtowns, past emerging

riverront parks. Kayakers and sherman have be-

gun to discover this stretch o the Androscoggin,

and a growing network o trails link the downtown

riverront to large expanses o state parkland.

Historic mill buildings remain a strong presencealong both sides o the Androscoggin. On the

Lewiston side o the River, within a 5-minute walk

o the riverront, 1.6 million square eet o mill space

remains within three

major mill acilities: the

Bates Mill Complex,

the Continental Mill,

and the Hill Mill. Te

network o canals that

once powered the millsremains in place.

Lewistons compact

downtown neighbor-

hoods occupy the

area east o the River.

Multiamily housing that

once served millworkers

is now occupied by a new gen-

eration o residents, including

Somali and Bantu immigrants.

A mix o small businesses

(including several restaurants,

an auto parts store, a urniture

store, and a car wash), mul-

tiamily housing, the Conti-

nental Mill and vacant lots

characterize the area betweenthe redeveloping Bates Mill

Complex and the River. Just

1/3 o a mile east o the River

is Lisbon Street, Lewistons

Main Street. Once a grand shopping destination

that drew visitors rom across the region, Lisbon

Streets 2- to 4-story buildings are beginning to see

new activity.

Tis planning eort ocuses most closely on Riv-erront Island: Lewistons downtown riverront. By

ocusing on the area between the Great Falls and

Cedar Street, and between Canal Street and the

Riveran area that includes the River, the Great

Falls, the canals, and many o Lewistons historic

millsthe L-A community can build on recent suc-

cesses to strengthen downtown L-A as a whole. DAnIEL J. MARquIS


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0 200' 400' 800' nrh

The Riverront Island study area includes much o Riverront Island and the downtown riverront.


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ReCent suCCesses

oday, aer an era o disinvestment, Lewiston is in

the midst ore-investment. Largely due to coor-

dinated public and private investments both large

and small, over the past een years, Lewiston has

begun to see:

Redevelopment and reuse of over 350,000

square feet of space within the Bates Mill Com-

plex, which now houses oces or D Banknorth

and Androscoggin Savings Bank, two destination

restaurants (DaVincis Eatery and FishBones Amer-

ican Grill), a medical oce (Bates Mill Dermatol-

ogy), a AAA location, a cra beer brewery (Baxter

Brewing Company), and more. Forty-eight unitso lo housing now under construction within the

complex will soon be part o the mix. Te Bates Mill

Complex has received over $30 million in private

investment over the last 57 years, and approxi-

mately 1,000 people now work within it.

Esablishme Simard-Pae

(Railrad) Par at a browneld site

along the Lewiston Riverront. Te

park now hosts the Great Falls Bal-

loon Festival, which draws 100,000

people annually or the launch o

dozens o hot air balloons over the

Great Falls, and the Patrick Dempsey

Challengean annual race and un-

draiser that draws several thousand

cyclists, runners, walkers and specta-

tors. Eorts to improve access to the

park could enhance its value to the

community.

Bates Mill Complex is a successul model or high-

quality renovation o older buildings to house an

active mix o new uses.

DAnIEL J. MARquIS

Simard-Payne (Railroad) Park has become a key community asset.

Annual eventslike the Patrick

Dempsey

Challenge and

the Great Falls

Balloon Festival

draw thousands

to Simard-Payne

Park, but most o

the time, the park

is underutilized. ERIC PotvIn


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Several higher-quality apartment units have been

provided through renovations on upper foors.

Much o this recent investment results rom the

actions o Lewiston-based entrepreneurs who are

embracing the opportunities they see in down-

town and along the riverront.

the Sher Gaewa Deelpme, which

has brought over 100,000 square eet o new

development and nearly 350 jobs to the southern

edge o downtown, along the Lisbon Street cor-

ridor. Businesses within the Southern Gateway

include Kaplan University (which enrolls 650

students in Lewiston through associate and bach-

elor degree programs), corporate headquarters orOxord Networks (a ber-optic inrastructure and

telecommunications rm), Northeast Bank, Key

Bank Business Service Center, and VIP Auto.

CHallenGes

While a lot has been accomplished, much work still

remains. o be ully successul, Lewiston must ad-

dress the ollowing challenges:

trasrm he Rier rm a apped asse

i he ceerpiece he dww experi-

ece. Te River is hard to see and dicult to get

toparticularly along the Lewiston side. Water

access, e.g., or kayaking and canoeing, is not

ormally provided. While a walkway has been es-

tablished within Simard-Payne Park and along the

Auburn side o the River, the trail breaks down in

Lewiston near Main Street and beyond the Grand

runk Railroad Bridge. Simard-Payne and Heri-

Grad tr Dep Bildig Rese, now

underway to transorm this long-vacant historic

structure on Lincoln Street into a new ca.

Csrci w pblic parig garages,which have leveraged tens o millions o dollars in

private investment. Tese well used garages pro-

vide the parking needed or over 1,000 employees

in the Bates Mill Complex; or the uture residents

o the Bates Mill los; and or uture guests o the

hotel that will soon be constructed on Lincoln

Street.

Reinvestment in buildings along Lisbon Street,

including several new high-prole restaurants

(Fuel or dinner, March or lunch, and a ca/market called Forage); a wine and cra beer shop

(Te Vault); a cluster o primarily Somali- and

Bantu-owned shops in once-vacant storeronts;

conversion o the old Music Hall into the District

Courthouse; and several resh new storeronts

(including those or L/A Arts and L-A Magazine).

trasrmai S. Mars Chrch i he

Frac-America Heriage Ceer, a cultural

center and high-demand event space that brings

20,000 visitors to the downtown riverront each

year or over 140 events that range rom Mid-

Coast Symphony perormances to rock bands and

dance parties to galas and weddings.

Eli Msem L-A, a dynamic non-prot

organization dedicated to telling the story o over

200 years o work, industry and community in

Lewiston-Auburn. Museum L-A, which hosts a

range o award-winning exhibits and events or

people o all ages, is now located within the Bates

Mill Complex but has purchased and begun site

work at a ormer mill along the riverrontadja-cent to Simard-Payne Parkwhere the Museum

plans to build a new home.

Prpsed 90+-bed Hel, on Lincoln Street.

Along with the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn,

downtown L-A will soon oer nearly 250 quality

hotel rooms.While many storeronts remain vacant, stores and

restaurants are beginning to bring new activity to

Lisbon Street.


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20

Buildings like Continental Mill, anked by the River

and the Lower Canal, could house new homes or

businesses. The network o canals extending through the district could become a unique amenity.

Several key streetslike Oxord Street, shown above

eel alley-like in places, but could provide walkable

connections to the River and other key destinations.

tage Parks are located a long the River, but do not

engage the River as waterront destinations that

draw people rom the community and beyond.

Arac a mix ses ad a criical mass

hsig el he areas rasrmai i

a ial, ibra disric. With so much vacant

space, this area lacks the vitality, critical mass,

and intensity o uses and destinations needed tomake it thrive once again. Some o the vacant

mill spacemost notably, the 345,000 square eet

within Bates Mill #5is poorly suited to accom-

modate most potential uses.

use he caals help defe his area as

ie place lie, wr ad pla. Once lined

with trees and paths, the canals today are hidden

behind chain link ences and the backs o build-

ings. Pedestrian amenities like ample sidewalks,

lighting and trees are largely missing. Some exist-

ing canal bridges are in poor condition.

Sreghe cecis wihi he disric

ad Lisb Sreer a mre walable

dww. oday, the Lisbon Street area, the

riverront, and Lincoln Street all eel isolated rom

each other. Tere are no view corridors or signs todirect people to the River or other key locations

and the conguration o the Bates Mill Complex

and canal bridges make pedestrian routes through

the district circuitous. Canal Street and Oxord

Street serve important destinations but eel alley-

like in places. Connections between key destina-

tions are oen unwelcoming or conusing.


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21

3 The Plan


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22

Plan overview

MasteR plan

Tis master plan or Riverront Island builds on

this same oundation. Trough the successul

implementation o this master plan, the Lewiston-

Auburn community can advance goals that

stretch well beyond the boundaries o the district,

strengthening the image and identity o both

communities; ostering connections between

Lewiston and Auburns downtowns centered around

the Androscoggin River waterront; enhancingLisbon Street as a commercial destination; and

improving the quality o lie or downtown

neighborhoods in both communities through access

to jobs and amenities.

vision

Lewistons Androscoggin Riverront will become

Maines premier urban riverront destination, the

centerpiece o a renewed Lewiston-Auburn region,

and a showcase o the communitys distinctive past,present, and uture.

eleMents of tHe vision

Te Riverront Island master plan will be accom-

plished through our related goals.

tap he pwer he rierthrough access

to the waters edge, a more active riverront,

and stronger connections to downtown

neighborhoods.

Arac a ial mix ew sesincluding new

housing, cultural destinations, workplaces, a new

Canal Park, and the parking needed to support

these new destinations; accommodate new homes

and businesses through reuse o older buildings

and construction o new ones.

Mae he disric mre walableto unlock the

potential o Riverront Islands many assets.

Isis ali in both public and private in-

vestmentto attract desired businesses and visi-tors, and so that the Riverront grows as a place

the L-A community can take pride in.

Te ollowing sections o this document are orga-

nized in accordance with those goals, and expand

upon each. An illustrative master plan summary

is shown on pages 24 and 25. Pages 24 and 25 are

designed to be viewed together. Te summary iden-

ties key initiatives, which are described in more

detail in the sections that ollow.

oday, successul urban centers

across the country are shaping

their utures guided by a

common ormula or success:

Teypreserveandhighligh heir

ie ad aheic characerisics:

historic architecture, waterways, streets

and public spaces. Teyincludea ial ad dierse mix

ses, including workplaces, restaurants,

entertainment venues, homes, and

educational, institutional, cultural and

recreational uses.

Teyarewalable places with

attractive public spaces and amenities.


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24

Overlook

Great Falls

New ofce/institutionaldevelopment at Island Point

ExistingAuburn

Riverwalk

Riverwalkoverlookat Falls

NewRiverwalk linkbelow Main

Street Bridge

Existingboat

launch

NewLincolnStreethotel

Destination playgroundwithin park

New Simard-Payne Park

connection toLincoln Street

Main Street streetscapeimprovements

Retail/civic useon redeveloped

Bates Mill #5 site

New Canal Parkwith perormance

area

Possiblebridge overUpper Canal

Expansion oLincoln Street

garage

New Canal Walkconnection links River

to Lisbon Street

Create CanalWalk and plant

trees alongwalkways

Newrestaurant at

Depot building

Incorporatenew retail/

commercial infllon Lincoln Street

Continueduse o Hill

Mill or crat

businesses/light industry

Mase PlaSumma

Note: Image and text continues on page 25. u

Event /ood

venues

Futurehome oMuseum

L-A

Enhance Simard-Payne Park; maintainexibility o use orprograms/events

Infll housingalong Oxord

Street

Streetscapeimprovements along

Oxord Street and LowerCanal; new bridges

New amphitheatre, watersteps and boat launchin Simard-Payne Park;

kayak rental; bank fshing


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25

tap he Pwer he Rier

CreateacontinuousRiverwalk.

MakeSimard-Payneatruewaterfrontparkwith

improved amenities and stronger connections to

the water and surrounding streets.

AdvancedevelopmentofMuseumL-Aasa

waterront anchor.

Arac a

Mix uses

Addacriticalmassofhousing.

LincolnStreetfocusareafornewretailandcommercial uses; move orward with new hotel.

OxfordStreetnewhousingmixedwitharts/

cultural and open space amenities.

CanalStreetreestablishtreesandcreatea

gracious green corridor.

Mae heDisric Mre

Walable

CreateaCanalWalknetwork.

ImproveOxfordStreetasawalkableplace.

NarrowCedarStreettothreelanesand

incorporate bike lanes.

Isis qali

Usedesignguidelinestoshapenewdevelopment

and rehabilitation.

ContinentalMill reuseas housing

Possiblekayak launch/rental acility

New Riverwalkalong

Continental Mill/Museum L-A

Expand useo the River

Expansion oChestnut Street

garage

t Note: Image and text begins on page 24.

elemes he isi

Add bike lane tobridge; reduce

vehicular trafcto two lanes

Franco-American

Heritage Center

Narrow CedarStreet and add

bike lanes

Allow two-way trafc on Cedarbetween Canal and Lisbon

Streets; explore allowing letturns rom Cedar to Lisbon

Reuse oDominican

Block or ofce/mixed-use


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26

oday the Androscoggin Riverront remains an untapped resource or the Lewiston-

Auburn community. In an era when communities across the country have reclaimed

urban waterronts as vibrant community destinations, Lewiston and Auburn have

the potential to create a unique and special place. Creating a continuous and attractive

public Riverwalk connecting existing parks, planned destinations, and new waterront

development will be the key to success. Te Riverwalk will become a much-loved destination

and centerpiece o the downtown providing scenic views o the River and Falls and allowing

access to the waters edge.

elemes he isi tap he Pwer he Rier

Esablish a cis pblic

Rierwal bewee Islad Pi

ad Cedar Sree.

trasrm Simard-Pae

(Railrad) Par i a re

rierr par ha draws he

cmmi ad he regi.

Aciae he rierr wih a

ew hme r Msem L-A.

Cec ew ad exisig pars

hrgh he dww

Rierr.More than a decade o eort has already moved the

communities toward this goal o establishing the

riverront as a cultural, recreational and economic

centerpiece. By taking the next important steps, this

vision can become a reality.

A destination riverront will benet Lewiston and

Auburn most directly i it is strongly connected tothe rest o the community and especially to the core

o downtown along Lisbon Street. Lewistons canal

network, open spaces, and connecting streets can

strengthen the potential o the riverront to enhance

the community as a whole. CHRIStInA EPPERSon


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27

Establish a continuous publicRiverwalk between Island Point andCedar Street.

With three parks along the downtown riverront,

Lewiston has already built a oundation or greater

public use and enjoyment o the River. But the parks

do not unction as a connected system, can be hard

to see or reach rom surrounding city streets, and

views o the river are oen blocked by vegetation.

Trough development o a continuous high-quality

Riverwalk, existing parks could be connected and

used more eectively, views o the River could be

opened up, and public access to the water could

be greatly enhanced. Tis new Riverwalk could

extend almost o a mile along Lewistons down-

town waterront. Trough connections to Auburns

riverside walking paths, several loop walking trails

o 1 to 2 miles could be established, showcasing the

riverront and existing and planned destinations in

both communities. Key missing links in the existing

network o trails are more ully described on page 30

and 31. While continuity o access is essential, so is

the quality and consistency o design elements. Pro-

viding high-quality walkways, seating, lighting and

signage throughout the waterront area will contrib-

ute directly to the Riverwalks appeal and success.

A ew waerr amphiheare ad lach area a Simard-Pae Par cld becme a majr cmmi desiai he Rierwal.


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28

Transorm Simard-Payne (Railroad)Park into a true riverrontdestination.

Simard-Payne Park has the potential to be the

centerpiece o Lewistons public waterront. Te park

hosts the Great Falls hot air Balloon Festival, the

Dempsey Challenge and other community events and

recreational programs but is missing many o the key

elements o a true waterront destination park: access

down to the waters edge is not in place or people

or boats; view o the River are limited by vegetation;

the park lacks visibility rom surrounding streets;

park inrastructure and amenities needed to attractpeople or host events are not in place; and much land

around the park is currently vacant or underutilized.

Planned development o the new Museum L-A at the

edge o the park is a very important step orward but

additional steps will be needed both to support the

Museums success and to create a public destination:

Add a amphiheare, seps he waer ad

small-ba dc where he Rier mees he

Crss Caal. Tis has the potential to be a signa-

ture public destination or waterront events andactivities and might include a removable foating

dock or waterront programs and events.

Cie ad expad he prgram par

ees/esials.

Explre he peial r seasal cae/

aa real wihi Simard-Pae Par,

potentially in conjunction with the proposed

Lincoln Street/waterront hotel.

ta he power of he River:Continuous public riverfrontaccess, new riverfront destinations, and access to the waters edge

MsemL-A

Icrprae a ew Rierwal

segme ard Islad Pi haers ie iews he alls

Creae a Rierwal cecibelw he Mai Sree Bridge liigHeriage Par Simard-Pae Par

Cieal Millwaers edge

The annual Great Falls

Balloon Festival draws

100,000 people to

the Lewiston-Auburn

waterront.

DAnIEL J. MARquIS


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29

Explre he peial he par accm-

mdae seasal ccessis/vendors in small/

temporary structures. Over the long-term, incor-

poration o more permanent ood venues might

be considered along or adjacent to the Riverwalk.

Tese venues should be designed and sited so as

not to impede views or access to the River or Riv-

erwalk. Service and access should be accommodat-

ed in context sensitive ways that do not interere

with public use o the park. Each structure should

be no more than one story in height and 3,500

square eet in area.

Seleciel rim ad maage rierr egea-

i pe p Rier iews. Icrprae a ba-fshig lcai as

prpsed b he Adrscggi Rier

Greewa iiiaie.

Add a desiai plagrd wihi he

Par, potentially including a ountain and other

water activities, drawing kids rom downtown

neighborhoods and the wider region.

Creae a ew gaewa erace Simard-

Pae Par Licl Sree on a publicly

owned parcel beside the Depot building; extend a

path rom Lincoln Street across Oxord Street to

the existing Park entrance.

Add a ew pedesria access pi he Par

ia a ew bridge er he caal a he iersec-

i oxrd ad Crss Srees.

Impre he oxrd Sree edge he Par

along the Lower Canal.

A destination playground

in Simard-Payne Park

could be a magnet

attracting children and

their amilies to the

riverront.

Waterront perormances at Bemus Point in upstate New York

attract hundreds o people a ll through the summer.

Impre bridges, ehiclar access,

ad iliies serig he par sp-

pr expaded prgrammig, with

inrastructure improvements to include

repair or replacement o the vehicular and

pedestrian bridges at Beech Street.

Fser ew deelpme a he Pars

edges.


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30

i p: Uninterrupted public

access along the each segment o

downtown riverront is critical. The

Riverwalk should extend through

Heritage Park and along Island Point,

linking back to Main Street at the Upper

Canal and should be incorporated into

uture development plans or Island

Point. Overlooks along this segment o

the Riverwalk could provide dramatic

views o the Great Falls.

Rrw r M sr: Awalkway under the Longley Bridge,

beneath Main Street, is critical to

continuous access along the Rivers

edge. On the south side o the bridge,

this sister path to the under-bridge

segment o the Auburn Riverwalk could

begin approximately halway up the

grade toward Main Street, bear toward

the River traversing the riverbank

contours, and then ollow the riverbank

(likely on an elevated structure) under

the bridge beore returning to grade in

Heritage Park.

smr-p pr M sr:

The Simard-Payne Park segment o the

Riverwalkwhich now ends abruptly

near the intersection o Lincoln and

Main streetscould be ully connectedto Main Street through a walkway along

the top o the riverbank. The existing

walkway and handrail in this area

could be replaced with a restored stone

parapet along the top o the mill walls.

bh smr-p pr

cc:The Riverwalk will have a major

cross axis intersection with the bikepathat the end o the Railroad Bridge, and

that location should be a ocal point or

people gathering and waynding.

smr-p pr hcm:

Several Simard-Payne Park

enhancements are proposed: improved

park connectivity with connector walks

on the northern end o Oxord street;

development o a public amphitheatre

acing the River at the northern end o

the park; development o a more ormal

walkway to the waters edge, also at thenorthern park area where topography

allows.

amhhr: A tiered stone

amphitheatre or outdoor perormances

and observing the balloon estivals is

proposed on the northwest corner o

the park.

Wr-cc : Stone steps and

a ramp or ADA access and boat walk-in

to the shallow shorelines at the ends o

the branch canal exit are also proposed

so that boats and people can access thewaters edge in the park landscape. This

location could include a kayak-rental

operation.

C crg: Placement o a bridge

close to the canal terminus is also

proposed so that the bridge oers views

up and down the River.

northern SegMent

Island Point to Simard-Payne (Railroad) Park

Central SegMent

Simard-Payne Park

em lw Rrw:Showcasing a Great Riverront and connecting it to the community


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31

Cr sr/ pc brg

Gw: Create a Riverwalk gateway

that denes the pedestrian entrance to

the area, provides parking or Riverwalk

users as part o the Continental Mill

redevelopment, reclaims old paved

areas as greenspace or the pathway,

provides overlooks to the River, and

includes reclamation o a natural

riverbank environment and integration

o stormwater treatment or the

Continental Mill property.

C M r crg

r h fm gw wr

cc: Open the back yard o the

mill to pedestrian access to the River

and the unique fumes that carry

exiting waterpower rom under the mill.

Rehabilitate the open area where the

fumes were blasted open or a sewer

line project. The collapsed fumes oer

access to the River or paddlers in a

dramatic yet protected way. The fumes

that exit through the stone arches

monitor sae water levels (i the water

level o the River is too high, they are

impassible). Stabilization o the slopeswith stonework and other retention

will make the area sae or access via

an elevated walkway and ramp/stair

system to the water level. A drop o

approximately 2025 into the chamber

will be required, and a way to sluice

kayaks into the basin will need to be

devised. Once in the basin, kayakers can

paddle through the fumes to the main

River or river tours and recreation. A

Southern SegMent

Cedar Street to Simard-Payne Park

kayak-rental outlet could also be staged

rom this location.

brch c crg: Crossing

rom the Continental Mill site to the

Museum L-A Property and Simard-Payne

(Railroad) Park requires a bridge over

the canal. Recent site clean-up on the

Museum L-A site elevated grades to a

long gradual slope, so the bridge will

need to be sited and designed to t an

exit path at ADA grades and to meet the

grade o the path at the Railroad Bridge

entrance. It would also be desirable

or the pathway to have a sight line

o visibility rom the walkway at the

Continental Mill to the Museum L-A

site. The elevated grade or the bridge

will require its Continental Mill end to

meet an equal elevation. Many types

o bridges could be considered or this

site, with cost and design being strong

infuences.

Rr r: A unique river-over-

look opportunity exists above the stone-

arched-fume exits to the Androscoggin

where kayaks and canoes can access

underneath. An elevated platorm couldoer dramatic views up and down the

river and interpret the sites waterpower

history.

Mm l-a acc brch

C w: At the Museum L-A side

o the canal, walkways would head in

two directions: along the branch canal

towards Oxord Street and toward

Simard-Payne Park.


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34

elemes he isi Arac a ial mix ew ses

Since 2000, dramatic progress has been made in bringing

new uses and activities to Riverront Island. Establishment

o the Franco-American Heritage Center has created a

new cultural anchor or the area; the successul reuse o

portions o the Bates Mill Complex has brought new oces,

restaurants and medical uses. Tese new uses complement

the existing mix o businesses and residences that are an

essential ingredient o success. oday, Riverront Island is

home to our restaurants with another currently planned.

With the development o new los currently under

construction at the Bates Mill Complex, the addition

o a planned new hotel on Lincoln Street, renovation o

the Grand runk Depot building as a restaurant now

underway, and continued development o Museum L-As

new home on the waterront, the district will take a

dramatic urther step. New amenities such as creation oa Lewiston Riverwalk will urther enhance the districts

appeal and attract more uses to the area.

Lively downtown neighborhoods need a critical mass o

people living within them, and Riverront Island is no

exception. Over time, attracting a critical mass o new

housing (a minimum o 400 new units) will be especially

critical to the success o the area. Both the Bates Mill

Successul urban riverront districts incorporate a vital mix o uses that are drawn to a

riverront location while also attracting new people and events. Te mix o uses must

support activity over the course o the day, weekdays and weekends, in all seasons.

Te right mix o uses combines workplaces, arts, cultural, educational and recreational uses,

retail, restaurants and hotels, and a strong residential mix. Riverront Island already includes

several o these uses but in combination they have not yet reached the critical mass needed to

be ully successul.

Rese Rierr Islads

Mill Bildigs

Adapie Rese oher ke

Hisric Srcres

Islad Pi

Ifll Deelpme

Isiial Achrs

Ge Creaie wih Parig


39/135

Lisbon street is Lewistons

commercial Main Street with smaller

stores, civic and institutional uses,

restaurants and some new housing;

activity generated in Riverfront Island

can spill over the canal and benet

Lisbon Street.

CanaL street can have the feel of an

alley today, but with improvements to

the canals it can become a gracious,

pedestrian-friendly corridor lined

by a diverse mix of uses, including

housing; improvements along the

canals can change the feel of this

street from a divider to a connector.

MiLL street can become more fullydeveloped as a pedestrian spine

linking a number of mill complexes.

oxford street can feel like a

forgotten alley today but has greatpotential for transformation as a

vital pedestrian-friendly street that

combines arts and cultural activities

(Franco-American Heritage Center

and Museum L-A) with major new

housing and open space amenities.


35

orgz h rc:The riverront area is structuredaround a series o streets that run approximately parallel to the River.The master plan establishes a general ramework or determining theuture character and mix o uses appropriate to each street.

People drawn to recreational and cultural activities

along the River can flter back to Lincoln Street

and Lisbon Street with their restaurants, retail and

other service businesses.

LinCoLn street is the districts

commercial and vehicular spine,

with major ofce space, restaurants,

retailers, and two parking garages.

With a planned hotel and potential

for more food-oriented retail uses,

Lincoln Street can strengthen its

primary role for the district.

Complex and Continental Mill are excellent

locations or lo housing, while the areas along

Oxord Street and Simard-Payne Park have the

potential to include new townhouse development

overlooking the park.

Te properties and potential uses described

on the ollowing page o this section are key to

accomplishing the goals o the master plan.


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36

Reuse o Riverront Islands MillBuildings

bates Mill CoMplex

Tis approximately 700,000 square oot mill com-plex extends rom Chestnut Street to the Cross

Canal and between Canal Street and Lincoln Street.

It is the cornerstone o the districts success to

date with major tenants including oces or D

Bank and Androscoggin Savings Bank, Bates Mill

Dermatology, Baxter Brewing Company, AAA, and

two restaurants (DaVincis Eatery and Fish Bones

American Grill). As o 2009, the complex had at-

tracted $30 million in private sector investment and

employed 1,000 people. Renovation o this propertyhas been done to the highest standards and is a

model or other buildings within the district. Te

recently completed atrium space, accessed rom the

intersection o

Canal Street and

Pine Street, al-

lows pedestrians

to travel through

the building

between the Lis-bon Street area

and Riverront

Island. With

48 units o lo

housing due to

be completed

in late 2012,

the complex

will continue its evolution as a major anchor o the

district. Future planned uses or the roughly 200,000

square eet o remaining mill space include retail

amenities as well as continued growth o oce and

residential uses. Much o the remaining available

space is located on the east side o the building

acing Canal Street. As this portion o the building

sees use once again, it will present a more lively ace

to downtown and Canal Street. Development o a

Canal Walk with trees and lighting will be essential

in linking the Lisbon Street area to the r iverront.

bates Mill #5

Bates Mill #5 has been a ocus o public discussion

or years within Lewiston. Te City o Lewiston

acquired Bates Mill #5located near the

intersection o Main and Lincoln Streetsin

1992 ollowing cessation o most manuacturing

activities and nonpayment o taxes. Te mill is a

346,000-square-oot, two-level building designed

by noted architect Albert Kahn and completed

in 1914. Since 1997, in order to preserve the mill

structure and secure a new use that could serve as

an important anchor or the downtown, the City has

studied the easibility o uses such as a convention

center; advertised the availability o the structure

or reuse as private-sector redevelopment; invested

in stabilization o the acility; established a task

orce to evaluate reuse options; and most recently,

supported reuse o the building as a casino acility

which ailed to attract necessary voter support

on a statewide ballot initiative in 2011. Te City

continues to incur costs associated with repairs and

insurance. It is estimated that approximately $20million would be needed to stabilize the exterior

envelope in advance o any reuse. Te buildings

layout, large and deep foor plates make it generally

unsuitable or most uses, including oce or

residential. Having remained unused or over 10

yearsaer several decades o very limited use

the buildings condition continues to deteriorate,

increasing the barriers to viable reuse. Over the

course o this master planning process, extensive

public discussion has centered around the utureuse o the Bates Mill #5 site. Several possible reuse

scenarios were considered: reuse o the structure

or a major downtown anchor; partial or complete

demolition and replacement with a new signature

park; or demolition and replacement with a new

structure to house retail uses and associated parking

in line with likely near-term market potential.

While there was not unanimous public agreement

DAnIEL J. MARquIS

The Bates Mill Complex can add

to its mix o restaurant, housing,

and ofce uses over time.

Bates Mill #5 presents signifcant barriers to reuse.


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38

Adaptive Reuse o Other KeyHistoric Structures

doMiniCan bloCk

Tis 4+-story, approximately 25,000-square-ootbrick building at the corner o Lincoln Street and

Chestnut Street was built in 1882 to house retail

space, classrooms, and a large community room. Te

Dominican Block has recently been rehabilitated

to a very high standard and is well-suited or

cultural/educational, retail, oce and/or restaurant

use. Te building is especially notable or its large

upper foor assembly/perormance space, which

eatures 17-oot-high ceilings. Te buildings elegant

proportions and ne details make it especiallyattractive and noteworthy.

GRand tRunk depot buildinG

An adaptive reuse renovation now underway at the

ormer railway depot will create a unique new res-

taurant space on Lincoln Street. Establishing a new

gateway to Simard-Payne Park on the undeveloped

lot next to the Depot building will help link the

River to Lincoln Street.

Island Point

North o Main Street and adjacent to the Great

Falls, the area known as Island Point is one o the

citys most prominent and visible locations. It oers

exceptional views o the Falls and River. Formerly

the site o the Libbey Mill Complex, destroyed by

re in 1999, Island Point is now home to Heritage

(Veterans) Park, a hydro acility, and Pedro OHaras,

a restaurant, bar and banquet acility.

Tere is signicant potential or new high-prole

development on Island Pointparticularly

on land overlooking the Falls, where the mill

buildings once stood. Much o the property is

publicly owned. Island Point is well-suited to

accommodate a substantial medical acility, a major

build to suit corporate oce building, housing,

and/or retail. Island Point is not considered an

appropriate location or large-ormat big box

retail stores. Because the topography o Island Point

rises dramatically rom Heritage Park, it oers

opportunities to reduce the cost and visibility o

structured parking that would serve uses on the

property.

Future development o the property should:

AccommodateextensionoftheRiverwalk,

providing continuous public access to the waters

edge rom the Longley (Main Street) Bridge,

around the point, and on toward Canal Street to

enable a strong pedestrian link to the Upper Canal

AdvanceeortstomakethissegmentofMain

Street more walkable, with buildings that ront

Main Street

HelptoreinforceHeritageParkasanaccessible,

inviting, and attractive destination or the

community and region.

Island Point and the Great Falls beore demolition o

the Libbey Mill Complex.

Dominican Block in 1882 and today.

LyME PRoPERtIES LyME PRoPERtIES

DAvE GuDAS

The long-vacant Grand Trunk Depot building, built in

1899 and once known as the Ellis Island o Lewiston-

Auburn, is being renovated as a restaurant space


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39

Inll Development

linColn stReet Hotel

A new 90-plus-room hotel currently planned or

Lincoln Street near its intersection with Main Street

will urther strengthen the mix o uses within the

riverront area, add lie to the Riverwalk, and sup-

port businesses by increasing the customer base

or area

restaurants

and attrac-

tions. Te

hotel can

also help

generate

activity

around the

edges o

Simard-

Payne

Park, improving its attractiveness and visibility. Use

o the red house over the Cross Canal as a ca or

boat-rental acility as contemplated by the hotel has

great merit and can also contribute to bringing this

area to lie.

linColn stReet infill developMent

Te portion o Lincoln Street between Main and

Cedar has undergone signicant change over the

last decade, with removal o several structures

and signicant investment in streetscape, site and

ment along Lincoln Street. On-street parking on

Oxord Street, however, could help accommodate

visitors to the park.

Institutional Anchors

MuseuM l-a

Museum L-A is working to construct a new home

along the riverront, beside Simard-Payne Park.

Museum L-A would be a tremendous anchor or the

riverront area.

fRanCo-aMeRiCan HeRitaGe CenteR

Te Franco-American Heritage Center is a key an-chor within the riverront area. As a cultural destina-

tion and event venue, the Center draws 20,000 people

annually. Te Franco-American Heritage Center will

continue to play an important role in the areas vital-

ity, and should continue to receive strong support.

building improvements. Over time, attracting new

uses to vacant parcels will help to urther activate

the riverront area, and better connect the River to

the Bates Mill Complex. Stand-alone retail, service,

or oce space will likely be attracted to Lincoln

Street because o its trac volume and visibility.

Te central portion o Lincoln, between the

proposed hotel site and Chestnut Street, represents

an optimal location or a small grocery store. Te

corner o Lincoln and Cedar is another potential

location. Tese land uses should be developed on

the Lincoln Street edge with parking adjacent or

behind the buildings. Lincoln Street uses must

allow or additional buildings to abut Oxord Street,

and parking or Lincoln Street building should not

extend to the edge o Oxord Street.

oxfoRd stReet infill oppoRtunities

Over time, Oxord Street can develop with a particu-

lar ocus on residential development at the Conti-

nental Mill and other locations. Improvements adja-

cent to Simard-Payne Park and its associated street

edges will make Oxord Street more appealing as a

site or inll development. Additional inll housing

would be an especially attractive use in this location,

benetting rom the amenity o the park and provid-

ing a round-the-clock presence at the edge o the

park, overcoming it current isolation rom the area.

Parking should not be provided on lots along the

street edge in this location, particularly any parking

associated with commercial or residential develop-

Preliminary site plan or the proposed

Lincoln Street hotel.

FRAnCo-AMERICAn HERItAGE CEntER

The Franco-American Heritage Center is an important

anchor or the riverront area.


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40

bates ColleGe, usM leWiston-aubuRn

ColleGe & kaplan univeRsity

Colleges and universities can be important catalysts

in downtown redevelopment eorts, drawing people

and activity. Opportunities or locating college-related unctions within the riverront areaor

instance, administrative oces, perormance ven-

ues, housing, and continuing education centers that

may benet rom a downtown locationshould be

explored on a regular basis with Bates College, USM

Lewiston-Auburn College and Kaplan University.

CentRal Maine MediCal CenteR & st.

MaRys ReGional MediCal CenteR

Currently, most medical oces are located withinthe hospital complexes on the other side o Lewis-

tons downtown. Demand or medical-related oce

space in the region is projected to grow. Some o this

growth may be suitable or locations within with

Riverront Island area (or instance, a new acility on

Island Point).

Get Creative with Parking

Parking is a key issue or Lewiston, as it is or all

downtowns. Te City o Lewiston has been proactive

in developing parking structures within the down-

town area to advance economic development goals.

oday, ve public parking structures serve the down-

town area. Te two parking structures built by the

City on Riverront Island since 2001the 610 space

Chestnut Street Garage and the 337 space Lincoln

Street Garagehave been integral to the success o

recent redevelopment eorts (e.g., in the Bates Mill

Complex), providing nearby parking or employees

and visitors. oday, those structures are well used

during the work week, with peak weekday utiliza-

tion rates o 85% and higher. During weekends and

evenings, signicant capacity remains available.

As redevelopment o the Riverront Island area

continueswith potential or more retail, oce, and

housingnew destinations will, over time, bring

Expad LiclSree garage

Expad ChesSree garage

PArkinG StrAtEGy

DevelopSharedUseAgreementswithowners

o udeulzed pvae pag los

Improvesignageto,around,andwithinpublicpag aeas

Renesharedparkingprovisionsinzoningo maxmze avalabl o pag spos omulple uses

ExpandChestnut&LincolnStreetgarageswheneeded o suppo addoal developme(appox 700 addoal spaces)

prg :Additions to public parking structures and increasedutilization o existing parking can meet increased demand as the district evolves


45/135


41

demand or more parking. When the districts public

parking supply is operating at ull capacity during

peak periods, additional structured parking will

likely be needed i the area is to continue to attract

new businesses and housing. Additional structured

parking can be provided through expansion o

Riverront Islands existing parking garages. In total,

expansion o the Lincoln Street and Chestnut Street

Garages could provide approximately 700 additional

parking spaces, with roughly 2/3 o the total expan-

sion occurring at the Chestnut Street Garage.

During high demand periods when Riverront

Islands public parking garages are nearing capacity,

there are well over 1,000 available parking spaces

within the district in privately owned surace lots.

Many o these spaces will ultimately be needed

to serve the buildings they are adjacent to (e.g.,

Continental Mill, Hill Mill). In the interim, how-

ever, property owners, the City, and the Riverront

Island area could benet rom an arrangement that

allowed temporary public use o private lots as an

interim alternative to more structured parking. Con-

tracts called Shared Use Agreementsused across

the country in places such as Albany, NY and San

Diego, CAenable temporary public use o private

lots under terms agreeable to both cities and owners.

Shared Use Agreements with key property owners

would enable Lewiston to make sure that, as de-

mand or parking grows, the areas existing parking

supply is ully used, to the extent possible, beore the

signicant expense o building structured parking is

undertaken.

Parking demand varies across use and time o day.

For instance, peak parking demand or housing oc-

curs at night and on weekends, when residents are

home, but decreases signicantly during weekday

mornings and aernoonswhen demand is highest

or most businesses. Lewistons zoning ordinance

allows or shared use o parking areas, enabling

developers to pledge the same space to two dierent

uses i they can demonstrate that the two uses have

dierent periods o peak demand. o ensure that

parking is not overbuiltat a cost o valuable land

and dollarsor under-built, which could threaten

the areas ability to attract new businesses, residents

and activity, Lewiston could rene this approach by:

UsingmodelsdevelopedbytheUrbanLand

Institute (ULI) and Institute or ransportation

Engineers (IE), which can calculate parking

needs or proposed uses based on the precise use

and time o day.

Maximizingtheextenttowhichparkingisavail-

able to all, rather than dedicated to particular uses

or destinations.

Improvingsignageto,within,arounddowntown

public parking areas, which will help maximize

use o the existing parking supply.

Design o parking structures can have a signifcant impact on streetscapes.

Riverront Islands two well-used parking structures were designed to ft in with their

surroundings.


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42

elemes he isi Mae he disric mre walable

Riverront Island is a compact place. Distances between

destinations are shortyou can walk almost any place

within the district within 57 minutes. Te biggest chal-

lenge is the quality o these connections or pedestrians

and bicyclists. Te same can be said o connections to the

district rom surrounding areas: walking distances areshort, but its hard to get rom Lisbon Street to Riverront

Island and the River. Poor walking conditions along the

canals and the need to travel around rather than through

the 2.5 block long Bates Mill Complex are particularly

signicant barriers.

o unlock Riverront Islands many assets or the Lewiston-

Auburn community to ully enjoyas well as to attract a

next wave o residents, businesses and visitorsproviding

an easily walkable, inviting, and well-connected environ-

ment is critical. Reclaiming the Cross Canal as an attrac-

tive, tree-lined place to walkrom Canal Street all theway to the River at Simard-Payne Parkwill be particu-

larly important. Making key streets like Oxord, Main, and

Cedar more walkable will also be important.

hriving downtowns benet rom strong walkable connections between destinations.

When destinations arentclustered or well connected, downtowns generally lack the

critical mass they need to remain lively places.

Lewiss ew Caal Wal

Impre oxrd Sree

Cie deelpme a L-A

Heriage trail

Mae Mai Sree a Beer

Gaewa

Cie impre LiclSree

Mae he Cedar Sree &

he Peace Bridge Mre Walable,

Bieable Places

Li lcal ad regial rails


47/135


43

Lewistons new Canal Walk

Lewistons network o canals harnessed the

Androscoggin to power the citys great mill

complexes. oday, the canals play almost no role

in power generation but continue to be owned by a

power company (NextEra Energy, ormerly Florida

Power & Light). Early photographs and postcards

show the canals as gracious tree-lined waterways

that were a unique and attractive amenity or the

city. oday the tree canopy is much deteriorated and

the canals are requently treated primarily as saety

hazards, surrounded by unattractive ences and

other barriers. Te City o Lewiston is working with

NextEra to acquire ownership o the canal network,

opening the door to reestablishing the canals

as attractive and unique community amenities.

Trough establishing walking and bike paths along

the canals, Lewiston can create much stronger and

more inviting connections among key destinations,

highlighting a unique community asset in a new

way.

Oxord Street could become a much more

walkable and attractive place through creation

o a canal walk and development o new infll

housing around Simard-Payne Park.


48/135


44

Lewiston can

reestablish the

network o tree-

shaded paths that

once lined the

canals.

Full development o a comprehensive Canal Walk

network will take time and will likely require phased

implementation as unding becomes available. At the

point that the City acquires ownership o the canals it

will be possible to begin this eort.

Te initial phase o work might ocus on Oxord

Street along the edges o the Lower Canal and

Simard-Payne Park extending to the Continental

Mill.

Tesecondphaseofworkcouldfocusoncreat-

ing an attractive walkway along the Cross Canal

beginning at Simard-Payne Park and extending to

Canal Street and Lisbon Street via Ash Street. Tis

pathway would connect through a new Canal Park

at the Bates Mill #5 site, travel past the Lincoln

Street Garage (opposite Fishbones) and meet the

River near the proposed hotel.

In order to ensure that the Canal Walk network has

a cohesive design identity, work on the initial design

phase should establish a consistent vocabulary

o elementspaving, lighting, encing, trees, and

signage that can be used throughout the network in

subsequent phases.

City ownership will also open the door to

consideration o use o the canals themselves or

water-based recreationin small boats, or ice

skating and other purposesurther enhancing the

appeal o canal edges or pedestrians. Each orm o

water-based recreation will have its own needs and

constraints, and the easibility o these uses will need

Richmond has restored

its downtown canals as a

high amenity pedestrian

network that has helped

attract investment to that

part the city.

to continue to be considered as the City works with

the power company to ensure that adequate water is

provided within the canals to preserve their amenity

and acilitate use.


49/135


45

A network osidewalks,

trees, lighting and

overlooks along both

sides o the canals

built in segments

over timewould

transorm these

waterways into

special places or the

L-A community.

A new ped-bikebridge to Simard-

Payne Park at Oxord

and Cross streets,

along with rehab o

bridges that already

serve the park, would

link the riverront

to Lewistons

downtown

neighborhood.

new Caal Par cecs Disric dww/Lisb Sree.

Exed sreescapeimpremes Mai Sree maea beer gaewa.

A Caal Wal ewr

pahs, rees, lighig,ad decraie eceslies he caals, liigdesiais hrghhe disric.

A L-A Heriage trailhighlighs e desiaishrgh dww L-A.

Sreescapeimpremes oxrd Sree li hePar, he Rier, adclral desiai.

Msem L-A

Frac-AmericaHeriage Ceer

LISBONST

CONNeCTIONThrOugh

BaTeSMILLCOMpLex

aShST

CedarST

CheSTNuTST

LINCOLNST

M h rc mr w:A Canal Walk network, an L-A Heritage Trail,and improvements to key streets knit downtown neighborhoods to the Riverront.


50/135


46

Improve Oxord Street

oday, Oxord Street is an alley-like place in an

important location. Oxord Street is the route to key

destinations: to Simard-Payne Park and the River, tothe Franco-American Heritage Center, to the uture

home o Museum L-A, and to the Continental Mill.

Yet, north o Chestnut Street and along the edge o

Simard-Payne Park, Oxord Street oers no trees,

ew street lights, many overhead wires, and no buer

between the asphalt sidewalk and the curb. With

some improvements, as suggested in the rendering

on page 43, Oxord could become a great street that

draws new investment and helps link some o the

downtown riverronts most important places. Add rees, lighig, ad impred sidewals:

Just as Lincoln Street once did, Oxord Street

needs streetscape improvements: trees,

pedestrian-riendly sidewalks and lighting.

Plantings at the elbow o Cross Street and Oxord

Street, where the Lower Canal meets the Cross

Canal, are a good rst start.

Ies i he Caal Wal: rees, lighting and

improved sidewalks and encing along the Lower

Canalat the edge o Simard-Payne Parkwill

link the park back to the neighborhood, and link

the neighborhood to the River. rees, lighting and

improved sidewalks and encing along the Cross

Canal will link the park and the River to emerging

destinations as ar east as Lisbon Streetinclud-

ing the proposed hotel and Red House reuse

project; restaurants and businesses in the Bates

Oxord has the ingredients to become a great street, linking the Continental Mill, the Franco-American

Center, Museum L-A and Simard Payne-Park.

Mill Complex; and a potential new Canal Park at

the Upper Canal.

Add a ew Lwer Caal pedesria bridge: A

new pedestrian bridge across the Lower Canal at

the elbow o Oxord and Cross Streets will enhance

use o the park and open a new connection to the

Rivers edge.

RehabilitateorreplacetheLowerCanal

bridges serig he sher ed Simard-

Pae Par ad he re hme Msem

L-A: Te pedestrian and vehicular bridges that

link this portion o Oxord Street to the riverront

are in poor condition, and should be repaired or

replaced. Along wit

Documents

Final Draft River Front Master Plan 2012