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Wilton tannery sold for redevelopment by a local family

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The Wilton tannery property on Route 2 has been sold for redevelopment by a local family.
The Wilton tannery property on Route 2 has been sold for redevelopment by a local family. The Selectboard approved the sale following an executive session Tuesday night.

WILTON – A local family has agreed to purchase the town-owned tannery with extensive plans to redevelop the property.

On Tuesday night, the Wilton Selectboard accepted the redevelopment proposal submitted by brothers James and John Black to turnover the 15 acres of land adjacent to Route 2 and 62,000 square foot steel and concrete complex of buildings for $1. In exchange, the Blacks plan to invest between $250,000 and $500,000 in the redevelopment of the property.

James Black, owner of Black Acres Firewood and John Black, owner of Rocky Hill Landscaping, both of Wilton, propose a three-phase development plan that includes the demolition of unsafe structures, using the existing  structurally secure buildings for storage needs for both their landscaping and firewood businesses, and construct a new business location for Nichols Trailers. Also in the plans is the construction of a self-storage facility on the property.

As the needs of each business expands at the property, 8-10 employees will be added.

Following an executive session, the selectboard-with Selectman John Black stepping down from the board for the decision-voted 4-0 in an open session to accept the Blacks’ redevelopment proposal and turn the property over to them for $1.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” James Black said after the meeting. “It will benefit both our businesses and the town,” he said and added, “it’s a win win.” The tannery site was  assessed at $120,000.

The clean up project of the tannery property began years ago after the town took possession of it in 2010 through the foreclosure process. Town officials worked with state and federal agencies to fund Brownfield assessments which identified elevated levels of chromium, particularly near dump sites of hides, scrap metal and other materials, as well as a large buried oil tank, still containing an amount of fuel.

The following feasibility study, conducted with the assistance of Maine Department of Environmental Protection, recommended consolidating the hides and other debris, pulling that material back from adjacent Wilson Stream and capping it off. The oil tank was removed and asbestos was abated from the 1959 tannery building, much of which was falling apart.

The town received two grants to complete the clean up, a $200,000 federal Environmental Protection Agency grant and a $150,000 state Department of Economic & Community Development grant. The town’s required grant matches were provided through mostly in-kind contributions, such the trucking and labor required to remove the piles of trash and debris on the site.

Once the cleanup was accomplished, town officials put the property up for sale for development  in November 2014 with the intention of returning it to the tax rolls. Among the deed restrictions are a ban on digging drinking water wells and the demolition of the dangerous sections of the tannery building complex as a condition of the sale.

According to the Blacks’ redevelopment plan, the first phase of work on the property will involve the demolitions of the structurally unsafe building in the center of the complex that has collapsed. The cost is expected at between $50,000 to $100,000 to complete. The work is expected to begin immediately after the deed is signed over.

The other large buildings with concrete floors will be utilized right away for mulch, firewood and compost storage for their current businesses. The property will be gated for security and the frontage landscaped to be aesthetically pleasing, James Black said.

The second phase, at an estimated cost of between $100,000 and $150,000, includes restoring an existing building for use as storage for vermi-composting or worm casing production and another building for processed firewood for bundled camp wood to be distributed under a contract with Maine’s state parks. A composting operation will also expand into the covered space of the buildings.

The final phase estimated at between $100,000 and $250,000,  will be the construction of a new building in the front section of the property to house the Nichols Trailers manufacturing center and parts store. Also in the works may be a new health and organic retail store.

Continued development of the property includes a self-storage facility. The entire redevelopment project is estimated to take from between three and 10 years to complete.

“I believe it will be a success,” said Selectman Tom Saviello after the vote.

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5 Comments

  1. Awesome !! It’s great to see buildings revamped, instead of leaving them abandoned. SO many ‘new’ buildings are being constructed, while all these ‘old’ ones are left to rot and be an eyesore.
    Good Job Black brothers for doing this! Can’t wait to see the final outcome!!

  2. Nice to see that someone bought the old tannery and is going to do something profitable with salvageable building and make good use of building left and the land. Good Luck to the Blacks.The property is back on the tax roll

  3. Great news. Those guys are hard workers. I’m sure they’ll do an excellent job.

  4. Thank You to the Black family. We are so lucky to have this family that cares for the town. I can’t tell you how proud I am to know them. Even if The Dad is a republican and I am a poor democrat!! LOL

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