What should happen to these 3 downtown Bangor properties?

How do you want to see downtown Bangor grow? What is currently missing, or what type of businesses would you like to see more of?

There are a few buildings for sale downtown, and we’re interested in what type of redevelopment you’d like to see.

(Shout out to Bangor City Councilor Ben Sprague who posted this question on Facebook today about one property — 73 Central Street, across from Java Joe’s.)

Post your ideas in the comments, or tweet them at #heybangor.

73 Central Street

73 Central Street, pictured here, is for sale. (Google Maps image)

73 Central Street, pictured here, is for sale. (Google Maps image)

As Sprague asked, “If money were no object, what would you do with this space? What would you like to see here?”

The office building totaling 30,820 square feet is listed at $350,000. It’s located on the banks of the Kenduskeag River, next to a city park.

It’s “a clean shell with a historical facade,” reads the listing. “It’s equipped with an elevator, two fire rated stairwells and a sprinkler system. Potential uses include retail, office and or residential. The first floor has been occupied by campaign offices and used for exhibit space for the Bangor Museum and Center for History.”

So far, people have suggested the following:

  1. Stores and a pub on the ground floor and apartments above.
  2. Turn it into a family gathering place, so little kids can have more to do.
  3. A live music venue, similar in size to Port City Music Hall that can also operate on a daily basis as a bar.
  4. Nice hotel on upper floors with restaurant/retail below.
  5. Trader Joe’s.
  6. An adult community center with a cafe, game room with ping pong and pinball, and a place to read a book.
  7. Senior housing or affordable housing for young people starting out.
  8. Retail or artistic/venue space on the bottom, apartments upstairs.
  9. Reny’s store.
  10. A public market on the ground floor featuring local food, drinks and other crafts/products, with a small space for music or other performances. Living spaces on the upper floors. Like a smaller scale version of Oxbow Public Market
  11. A high school based around the arts: dance, theatre, new media, production, music, culinary arts.
  12. Cinema (art house)/performance art space on the second floor. Ice cream parlor/pastry coffee shop on part of the street level that’s open late at night to serve patrons of the cinema/performance art space.

2 Hammond Street

The Hammond Street Senior Center has been on the market for about 40 days. Situated on 0.45 acres on the Kenduskeag Streem, the three-story building with 17,000 square feet is selling for $750,000.

“Elegantly refurbished building. Central air on 2 floors, natural gas, over 20 parking spaces, period details retained,” reads the listing. “Surplus of windows creates wonderful natural light to all levels. Elevator and ramped entry off parking lot allow easy access.”

Executive Director Kathy Bernier said the senior center’s board wants to move to reduce building costs, as the 1911 structure exceeds space needs and comes with increased utility, maintenance and flood insurance costs. In addition, she said, there is a shortage of parking downtown for the center’s 500 members visiting weekly.

20 State Street

Priced at $250,000, this four-story brick building has had its first and second floors remodeled for office suites. The listing describes the third and fourth floors as a “renovation opportunity.” It’s located next to the Thomas School of Dance.

Who should grab it? What does Bangor’s downtown need? Again, let us know in the comments or by tweeting with #heybangor.