BRUNSWICK, Maine — Last week, the Brunswick Town Council approved plans to redevelop the old Central Fire Station.
The plans include selling the station to Developers Collaborative for $200,000, which plans to invest $3.5 million to turn it into affordable housing, a community kitchen, a new home for Moderation Brewery, and a public green space outside.
"I love working in Maine's downtowns," Mike Lyne, director of commercial real estate for Developers Collaborative, said. "We do a lot with historic rehabilitation, which is a niche of ours."
Lyne said he started looking to buy the building at the same time State Sen. Mattie Daughtry, who co-owns Moderation Brewing along with her partner Philip Welsh, were looking at it.
"A mutual friend connected us and it was kind of a match made day one," Lyne told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Daughtry said the move will let them increase the production of their brewery and hire more staff.
"We really wanted to be able to stay and grow in Brunswick," Daughtry said.
She said the major impact of redeveloping the station will provide an opportunity for the community to come together.
“We’ve had people who have met and actually got married at the brewery," she said. We’re family friendly, I've watched a couple of friend’s kids take their first steps, and this enables us to grow that feeling, and not leave our beloved downtown.”
Lyne expects construction to start on the project next spring.