SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Mainers spent decades placing wagers on races at Scarborough Downs. While the track has been closed for years, a new kind of trifecta was discussed near the old grandstand Wednesday.
Developers and local and state leaders broke ground on The Downs' new town center Wednesday afternoon. The space is just one part of the massive upgrades to the 525-acre property.
The "master planned community" adopted the tagline "A Community Trifecta" as it will balance a live, work, and play principle. The mixed-use redevelopment project will build more housing units, commercial space for businesses, and create recreation trails and green spaces.
The town center will include a main anchor building and will be home to breweries and restaurants with outdoor dining spaces and a central greenspace. According to developers, roughly 60 businesses will be located within the plan's Innovation District.
"We wanted something to unite the town and serve as a destination for dining, shopping, and outdoor recreation," Travis Kennedy, chair of Scarborough's Downtown Committee said in a news release. "From the first meeting it was clear that the community at-large was part of the planning process, and our recommendations were appreciated and incorporated."
The first Costco in Maine is expected to open up next month and is on one side of the new development. IDEXX, InterMed, and Allagash Brewing will also have locations on-site. Allagash is expected to open its new tasting room by late 2024.
"It’s really important to make the most of all the opportunities we have in Maine," Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, said.
During the last five years, 500 mixed-housing units have been built on the property, housing roughly 1,000 people.
"We all know we need housing, we desperately need housing. We need housing that doesn’t crush the town financially," Rocco Risbara, a partner on the developing team, said. "We really think we have a model here that can work in other towns."
Due to the success over the last five years, developers stated the next phase of this plan is two years ahead of schedule.
The existing and future, housing units are designed for Mainers of all income levels. Risbara said there will be upscale units, housing for lower-income Mainers, and the first-ever affordable housing for Mainers with physical disabilities.
"We wanted to develop a town center that is reflective [of] Scarborough's identity," Risbara said.
The Downs will also preserve one-third of its land as greenspace and 25 acres will be used to create recreation trails and public access points. There will also be a bus service that runs from The Downs north to Falmouth and south to Biddeford.
Risbara said developers have already invested $65M into the project. They are also the majority financial backer of a $15M traffic improvement project that will improve "safety and congestion at 37 intersections" in town, according to a new release.
According to The Downs, the first phase of the town center will be complete in 2025. When the project is fully finished, it is estimated to create more than $615M in new value, $10M in new tax revenue per year, and as many as 3,000 new jobs.