NORWAY — The Planning Board unanimously approved a proposal Thursday to rehabilitate the former Advertiser Democrat building into 14 apartments, a project aimed at preserving the historic downtown property while adding workforce housing.
Dooryard, the developer behind the proposal, would rehabilitate the building at 1 Pikes Hill, which the Select Board considered demolishing in December 2025 after complaints that the complex had become a hot spot for crime. The board granted the property a reprieve in January, and the Planning Board later ruled Dooryard’s application complete.
During a public hearing Thursday, residents expressed support for preserving the building, but they raised concerns about rents, parking, lighting and how the project would fit the historic character of downtown Norway.
Kara Wilbur of Dooryard said the project came together after the developers identified a financing opportunity in late June with a Sept. 3 deadline. The plan would use state and federal historic tax credits to rehabilitate the building rather than demolish it.
“We pulled together a project that we think makes sense for the building, that sort of honors the bones of the buildings and some of the beautiful spaces in there,” said Patrick Boothe, an architect with Portland‑based Woodhull who is working on the project.
The proposal includes one studio, seven one‑bedroom apartments, four two‑bedroom apartments and two three‑bedroom apartments.
The units would range from 439 to 958 square feet, with basement storage included to help maximize living space.
Plans also call for 14 parking spaces for the residential units, with one designated as handicap‑accessible.
Wilbur said the apartments are intended to serve workforce needs, including seniors and others looking to downsize, young workers and people seeking housing close to downtown.
“We want places for people to live in this community who want to be part of the community,” she said.
At 80 percent of area median income, the maximum rents, including utilities, would be $1,288 for a studio, $1,380 for a one‑bedroom apartment, $1,656 for a two‑bedroom apartment and $1,912 for a three‑bedroom apartment.
“This is not deeply affordable housing. This is workforce housing. It is not going to meet all of the needs,” Wilbur said.
She said the rents could be lowered if the project receives a tax increment financing agreement, but they could not be raised above the amounts set under the project’s financing structure.
Several residents spoke in favor of the project, particularly its potential to preserve the building and provide housing for workers.
Scott Burke, a local business and building owner, said he has about 15 employees who struggle to find housing.
“Workforce is needed in this town and in all of Maine,” he said.
Another resident said housing is necessary to keep workers and young people in Maine.
“If we can provide housing for nursing, teachers, and working people, they won’t have to leave the state,” the resident said. “We have got to have some youth. You need to keep young people in the state.”
The building’s current owner also spoke in favor of the project, saying the property needed significant investment.
“It wasn’t our desire to just tear down a historical building in this area,” building owner Todd Truman said. “We’re at a position where something has got to be done.”
Truman said there was no financially feasible way for him to rehabilitate the building himself while preserving its historic features.
Developers also addressed questions about preserving the building’s architectural character.
KC Christensen, executive director of Norway Downtown, asked how the project would preserve the historic character and charm of the community, saying residents had expressed concern about that aspect of the proposal.
Boothe, the project’s architect, said the development team has experience rehabilitating historic properties and that projects using historic tax credits must follow National Park Service requirements.
Parking was another concern raised during the hearing, particularly because the proposed residential parking would share a lot used by a nearby gym.
Noah Potts, a Norway resident, said he was concerned the apartments could create parking problems for existing businesses.
“I would hate to solve a parking problem by creating a new parking problem for an existing local business,” he said.
A representative of the gym also spoke during the hearing, raising concerns about safety and lighting, particularly because the gym has a predominantly female clientele.
The representative said the gym supported the project but wanted to understand how lighting would work around the property.
The board also heard from a local landlord who said demand for housing in Norway remains high.
“When I post a place available for rent, I get a huge influx of people looking for housing,” she said. “People are looking to come to this area. They want to reside; they love to be close to Main Street.”
The project is dependent on developers securing financing.
Wilbur said the team expects to learn in December whether it receives the funding.
If approved, the project would require about a year of permitting before construction could begin.
After the public hearing closed, the Planning Board reviewed the project against the town’s development standards, including parking and circulation, stormwater management, exterior lighting, groundwater protection, water availability, soil erosion, sewage disposal and financial and technical capacity.
The board unanimously approved the plan review, determining that the proposal met the town’s requirements.
