WISCASSET, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — A landmark building in Wiscasset has been saved from foreclosure, but local residents are still waiting to find out what will happen to it.
The old Mason Station power plant on the Sheepscot River is seen by millions of drivers on Route 1 every year, but the building hasn’t been used for years.
In the mid-2000s, a developer from Connecticut bought the old power plant and its land, with the dream of creating what he called a "maritime village," with luxury houses, shops and a marina. There was a lot of cleanup work done on the site, and two "spec houses" were built, but the development never took off. The owner eventually stopped paying most property taxes.
The town foreclosed on the portion of the property that was to be the housing development; but select board chair Judy Colby told NEWS CENTER they did not foreclose on the Mason Station itself because the town didn’t want the liability for cleaning up asbestos and other waste.
The town did finally decide to take action last fall, but in late December, just before Wiscasset was to foreclose on the Mason Station, developer and owner Joe Cotter paid the back taxes, roughly $219,000. Town officials say he did not pay the back taxes on five smaller parcels, and Wiscasset did foreclose on them.
NEWS CENTER was unable to contact Cotter for comment, but in a letter to the town of Wiscasset in early December, the developer said he now hopes to turn the Mason Station into a marijuana growing and processing facility, which could also become a tourist attraction, potentially including waterfront restaurants and even a hotel.
The letter asks for a meeting with town officials to discuss the idea. Select board chair Judy Colby said she doesn’t like that idea very much.
"Wiscasset is the prettiest village in Maine," Colby said. "I certainly don’t want it to become the pot city of Maine."
She acknowledged, however, that town voters would have the final say locally. The Maine Legislature is expected to vote soon on a one-year moratorium to delay implementation of the marijuana law passed by voters, to allow more time to hammer out the details for commercial licensing, growing and sales of the drug.
Wiscasset residents will vote Jan. 30 on a local, six-month moratorium.
Colby said they have not yet tried to set up a meeting with the Mason Station developer.