ALA Bath Housing Masterplan Concept Plan
Click here to view the MaineBiz article
Click here to view the Portland Press Herald|Times Record article
Bath Housing’s vision for the Congress Avenue Corridor
A new residential neighborhood — walking distance to two schools, two shopping centers, the business park, the local YMCA and downtown — has taken shape this summer, led by Bath Housing. The vision is to transform the under-utilized area along Congress Avenue (from Centre Street north) into a residential community that provides a range of stable housing options to families of all incomes.
Bath is no stranger to the current stresses and strains of the housing market. Though the City of Ships’ downtown thrives, housing opportunities for employees who keep the city alive are sadly sparse. The housing stock is limited, and it’s aging. Bath’s new Comprehensive Plan clearly outlines the need to accommodate growth and change in the housing market to keep the community healthy.
“This development is vital to the future of Bath’s economy by providing a diversity of housing types for all families in our area struggling to find attainable housing,” said Misty Parker, Bath’s new Director of Community and Economic Development. “Every community needs accessible housing, and every community deserves options.”
The conceptual blueprint was developed over the course of a year, facilitated by Aceto Landscape Architects. With 17. 28 acres of land and allowable density of up to 313 housing units, Bath Housing landed on a plan to place up to 190 housing units on the Congress Avenue portion of the site, allowing the back 10.28 acres to be placed in conservation easement with Kennebec Estuary Land Trust. “We’ve worked so hard to see it come to fruition. It’s very exciting,” Keller said.
THE VISION
The neighborhood will cater to a mix of family income tiers: those with less than 80% of the area median income (AMI); middle income households with 80% to 120% AMI; and market-rate units (over 120% AMI).
Three key guiding principles drove the planning process:
• Incorporate a mix of housing types and diverse scales.
• Prioritize people and community spaces first, emphasizing livability.
• Use landscaping to create outdoor rooms and a sense of place.
Bringing the vision to life will be a multi-year effort with three distinct phases – the North Yard, Middle Yard, and South Yard. Each phase has included — and will continue to include — opportunities for community public input and feedback, a hallmark of Bath Housing’s development process. The South Yard has received its municipal approvals, including a contract zone, site plan and sub-division approval and a TIF. The North Yard is currently in the permitting process.
SOUTH YARD
The South Yard, at the northeast corner of Congress Avenue and Centre Street, will be home to Anchorage South. This project will replace 39 existing apartments at The Anchorage and add nine new apartments. The Anchorage is Bath Housing’s oldest property and functionally obsolete.
Bath Housing’s Director of Real Estate Development, Seth Parker, emphasizes the commitment to sustainability. “We are designing highly energy efficient, high quality, durable, long-lasting housing,” he said. “Smartly engineered buildings offer a stable and healthy future for our residents, and that’s a key focus of Bath Housing.”
Existing Anchorage residents have been involved in the planning from the start, including weighing in on unit layout, building access, and amenities. The new building will cater to those 55 and older and will carry income restrictions.
To make this project possible, Bath Housing will be moving its Administrative office to its new 520 Centre Street project, currently under construction and expected to be complete in Summer 2025.
NORTH YARD
The North Yard, at 150 Congress, is helmed by Developers Collaborative, and will be developed with the workforce in mind. Many employees currently endure long commutes and would love to live in Bath. Bath Housing selected Developers Collaborative as a partner in the Congress Corridor effort because of their solid track record and creativity. Currently in the permitting stage, the North Yard will include up to 84 market rate housing units,
MIDDLE YARD
The final phase is the Middle Yard, which will take shape at 100 Congress Avenue after the residents of the Anchorage move into their new homes. Still in the planning stages, Bath Housing has committed to developing a series of house lots along the Edgett Street portion of the site, in keeping with the existing streetscape. In addition, there could be up to 60 additional housing units on the Congress Avenue portion of the site.
FROM VISION TO REALITY
Bath Housing has taken the lead in providing safe and stable housing in Bath for more than 50 years, and a big part of that responsibility lies in meeting today’s needs as soundly as possible, while anticipating shifting demographics and a growing population.
Among the crucial challenges confronting Maine employers, housing stands out. The shortage of housing supply in Maine isn’t just a social concern, it’s an economic imperative. The construction of new housing in Bath – targeting a range of family incomes — promises substantial positive impacts on the local economy and workforce.
Keller, who is also on the Climate Planning Committee for the City of Bath, wants people to know it’s about more than boosting Bath’s rental stock numbers. “We are thinking about the future not only in terms of numbers of units and market stability; we are building sustainably, preserving acres of land, and truly thinking about the future throughout the whole process.”
Claire Berkowitz, Executive Director of Midcoast Maine Community Action — a family support nonprofit conveniently located nearby on Wing Farm Parkway — is excited to see this level of action taking place in the City of Ships. “The Congress Corridor has for years offered not much more than a connector from Route 1 into North Bath,” Berkowitz said. “This will be a game changer for so many families who are struggling with current living and rental situations.”