Executive Summary of Sebago Technics Report

With completion of the Site Master Plan, the Sebago Technics Team (STT) has evaluated the existing facilities, including the site infrastructure and environmental issues, evaluated the potential for future development by performing a marketing/feasibility study, developed a phased plan for site redevelopment, and evaluated the expected revenues and expenses associated with the site build-out.

The STT has determined that the site has great potential for redevelopment and it is feasible to redevelop the island facilities in a phased plan. The architects and land planners have developed a plan for redevelopment which is flexible enough to incorporate various uses for facilities, including:

Clean manufacturing and office use
Conference, training and public display space
Support businesses
Marine related businesses
Public utilization of open spaces

The architects and land planners have also worked to incorporate the historical and architectural heritage of the facility into the plan for the island’s redevelopment. This has been accomplished by the establishment of a main entryway to the island where artifacts from its industrial past will be displayed. Additionally, the brick façade of the mill will be restored and enhanced. The site plan also calls for the establishment of a main foot traffic corridor through the site which will follow the path of the railroad which formerly existed on the island.

The initial phase of development will require the re-establishment of the island’s infrastructure, including water, sewer, electricity and gas facilities. Additionally, before any meaningful redevelopment of the island can proceed, a new bridge needs to be constructed from the mainland.

The STT has reviewed the zoning and land use issues concerning the island and concludes that the most restrictive use restraint is the industrial classification of the island. As it turns out, the industrial zone has fairly significant restrictions on the support uses which may be present to support the industrial use.

Since the EPA has designated the island a "Brownfields site", a grant of $750,000 for environmental cleanup has been made available to assist in the island redevelopment. As it is envisioned that this grant will be used to assist with needed areas of demolition and cleanup, it will be a much needed source of revenues to assist with redevelopment. We have received data from the EPA contractor (Tetratech NUS) indicating that their follow-up investigations of the Dye House and Blending Room floors revealed PCB contamination confined to these areas. These areas, slated for demolition during a later phase, will not impact initial redevelopment. The Maine DEP has offered to provide further sampling which would help define the extent of the PCB problem in these locations. It is further noted that with threes exceptions, the previous site investigations by both the State and Federal environmental agencies did not reveal any significant environmental contamination elsewhere in either the building or on the island grounds.

The Phased Master Site Plan which is presented herein details a logical progression of events to redevelop the island. We believe this phased plan could easily be achieved over a ten year period.

The marketing/feasibility study (M/FS) aspect of the plan revealed an array of business opportunities for the site and identified potential business types which may be interested in this location due to its proximity to several universities and its proximity to Route 95 and the City of Bangor. The M/FS also includes that nearly 500 jobs can be created from this plan, with about 100 of these being created in Phase 1.

The engineering analysis of the site and existing facilities has focused on facilities and systems which can be upgraded and rehabilitated versus facilities which should be demolished and replaced with more modern, efficient systems and facilities which will support site development.

Additionally, this review has identified areas of the mill which are critically in need of restoration in the near future before the deterioration results in complete failure. These systems include the brick face of the main mill and certain areas of the roof which may completely collapse if not rehabilitated in the near future.