The new $37 million Penobscot County Judicial Center at 78 Exchange St. has opened. The building was not expected to open until the end of December.  The 86,000-square-foot, 3½-story building will combine the Penobscot County Superior Court and 3rd District Court in Bangor.

Brewer Paper Mill Receives Environmental Award
Real estate developers, environmentalists and other public and private sector professionals honored 22 revitalization projects at The Phoenix Awards Ceremony during Brownfields 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana held November 16 - 18, 2009. 

Eastern Fine Paper Redevelopment was honored at the Phoenix Awards Ceremony during Brownfield’s 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16. The award was given to them for their work in remediating and redeveloping the former paper mill site on the Penobscot River while retaining or creating over 17,000 jobs.

Created in 1997, this prestigious award honors individuals and groups working to solve critical environmental  or social challenges, transforming blighted and contaminated areas into productive new uses and developing sustainable green building projects. The Phoenix Awards are widely recognized as the outstanding award for achievement of excellence in Brownfield redevelopment, and often are called “the Brownfields equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscar.”  The Phoenix Award winners represent outstanding brownfield or environmental projects from each of the 10 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regions, including projects selected for special honors.

Eastern Fine Paper Redevelopment in Brewer, Maine was selected as the Region 1 winner for 2009 because the project is a model for other small communities to show that active community involvement and public-private partnership can bring new quality jobs to a small town.  More information about the project and award can be found at www.brewerme.org/cianbro_eastern_manufacturing_facility2.htm.

Old Town Fuel & Fiber Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
Governor John Baldacci and Patriarch Partners CEO Lynn Tilton celebrated the one-year anniversary of Old Town Fuel & Paper on October 22. Since its founding in October 2008, Old Town Fuel & Paper has restarted the former Georgia-Pacific mill’s pulp manufacturing operation and has focused its efforts on a unique design for producing energy and biofuels as part of the pulp manufacturing process.

This manufacturing campus provides cost effective steam and power, over 425,000 square feet of quality warehouse and manufacturing space with access to water, utilities-including natural gas, sewer and a variety of transportation links such as Interstate 95, railroad spurs onsite and air cargo.  Also, access to available workforce with transferable skills required for new industries.” 

The city values that this facility holds a key to future innovative projects and new industries locating in Old Town.  This firm has an entrepreneurial vision and seeks creative partnerships with others to bring the vision into reality.  For more information about the mill, visit  www.oldtownff.com

In 2006 the City of Old Town sold the former Helen Hunt School to Penobscot Community Health Care at a cost of $100,000 with $20,000 payments to be made to the City starting October 1, 2009 until paid in full (2013).  They purchased an additional lot for $25,000 at the time of sale.

This was the first “patient capital” project for the City in that the City sold the building and waited till October 1, 2009 for its first payment.  The merger of Dr. Chris Ritter’s medical practice to became part of PCHC created this opportunity for the City.  In 2007 PCHC invested $5.9 million in renovations to the Helen Hunt School.

The services offered at the Helen Hunt facility include, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, mental health counseling, physical and occupational therapy, dental, lab, x-ray and pharmacy services.  They employ 55 at this facility.

The Hermon Shopping Center on U.S. Route 2 will add an estimated 50 new jobs. The expected new tenants include Hermon True Value Hardware and Family Dollar, along with current tenants Danforth’s Supermarket, Seaboard Federal Credit Union, Dunkin’ Donuts and Fresh Dough Pizza Co. Construction will begin immediately and the new retailers are expected to open sometime in the spring.

Snowman Printing in Hermon will receive a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant, money that will be used to expand the printing facility and create 10 new jobs.