Biz Bites: Thompson's Point buzz, UMA architectural Earth Day, more

a woman, whit, with long dark hair reads at a podium in front of a large under construction cube shaped building as two white men in suits stand at a socially distanced distance behind her on what looks like a hot day

Photo / Maureen Milliken Julie Butcher Pezzino, director of the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine, speaks in front of its new building in August, when it was still under construction. The organization this week started the move-in process for this spring's grand opening.

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By Maureen Milliken

Thompson's Point is about to get a lot busier and buzzier, with two long-anticipated openings set for the coming weeks.

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine Tuesday posted a photo on its Facebook page of trucks from Bisson Moving & Storage loading up at the organization's Free Street location. The museum plans to move into new 30,000-square-foot digs at Thompson's Point this spring, though hasn't announced a grand opening date.

A man, black, holding a large coffee cup and smiling

Photo / Jim Neuger

Rwanda Bean Co. cofounder Mike Mwenedata.

Once the museum is open, suggests latest Thompson Point tenant Rwanda Bean, visitors should stop afterwards for a sweet treat at the coffee roaster's newest location. No official date has been announced for that opening, either, but word has it it's very soon.

Rwanda Bean owner Mike Mwenedata in December leased 2,400 square feet in the Brick North building that was most recently home to Cellardoor Winery. The company plans to locate all its roasting and production there, as well as have roasting demonstrations, retail and more.

Rwanda Bean began on Stevens Avenue in Portland in 2013, and opened a coffee bar in a long-vacant former grocery store on Cottage Road in South Portland in May 2018. Neighbors in the Thompson Point building are Bissell Brothers Brewing Co., Stroudwater Distillery, Color Me Mine, the International Cryptozoology Museum, Halo Studios and Big Room Studios.

Some more real estate news to chew over

LEWISTON BUZZ: In other coffee-related openings, a Dunkin' has opened at 1896 Lisbon Road, Lewiston, replacing one at a nearby Mobil station. Owned by Dunkin' franchisee Mike Connor, the store has a bunch of upgrades including a digital drive-through and mobile order lane, lobby menu boards, new tap systems for cold teas and coffees and high-volume coffee brewers. Connor donated $3,000 to the Lewiston-Auburn YMCA to celebrate the opening.

AUBURN SPACE BACK IN MOTION: Also in the Lewiston-Auburn area, Back In Motion Physical Therapy held a ribbon-cutting Tuesday at 600 Turner St., Auburn. The site is the chain's ninth in the state. Back in Motion leased the 2,700 square feet of shopping center retail space from West River Road LLC a year ago. The ribbon-cutting was attended by Back in Motion Business Development Coordinator Polly Legere, Mayor Jason J. Levesque, LA Metro Chamber Board Chair Jessica Donovan, chair-elect John Rice, a representative for U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and others. “We strive to hire great people to meet the needs of this community, here in Auburn, across the bridge in Lewiston, and to the LA region,” Ryan Martin, Back In Motion group director and physical therapist said.

Photo / Maureen Milliken

Matt O'Malia, of OPAL, GO Labs and Timber HP

IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY, the University of Maine at Augusta architecture program is hosting a Zoom panel with passive house architects from Maine and Oregon at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 22. Matt O'Malia of OPAL and GO Labs' new Timber HP production plant in Madison is a panelist, as is Chris Briley, of Portland architecture firm Briburn, and a founding board member of PassivehausMAINE. Oregon architects taking part are Stephen Aiguier, of Green Hammer and Tad Everhart, of CertiPHIers. Amy Hinkley, an architecture faculty member at UMA, will moderate the discussion. For more information, click here.

IN LOCAL REAL ESTATE LEGISLATION, Maine legislators are considering a bill, LD 1337, that would charge an impact fee to home owners whose property does not have a permanent resident for more than six months a year. It's aimed largely at short-term rental owners and wouldn't affect people who own vacation homes or camps that aren't four-season. Submitting testimony against the bill at Wednesday's public hearing before the Committee on Taxation were MEREDA, Ski Maine Association and Vacation Rental Professionals of Maine, and several state residents who have short-term rentals.

Those speaking in favor, including AARP, said the fees will help address the state's affordable housing crunch, including helping to fund affordable housing and limiting short-term rentals, which would free up housing. Opponents said, while affordable housing is a crisis, the short-term rental situation in the state doesn't have much of an impact, and short-term rentals are an economic boon for residents who can't otherwise afford to pay mortgages. The rentals also support areas that don't have the lodging options more populated parts of the state have, the proponents claim.

IN NATIONAL LEGISLATION NEWS, a new version of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill includes temporary tax provisions for projects that have been affected by the pandemic. It also updates the Historic Tax Credit, improving access and increase investment in smaller rehabilitation projects, according to Maine Preservation, which is tracking the legislation. Introduction of companion legislation in the Senate is expected soon. Maine Preservation is an advocate of the legislation and is urging developers and others involved in historic preservation development to find out more.

a man, white with red hair, in blue shirt and tie

Courtesy / MIT

Jeff Levine

FOR YOUR SUMMER READING LIST, add the new book by former Portland Planning and Urban Development Director Jeff Levine, who is owner of Levine Planning Strategies, and lectures on planning and its related elements at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as the Muskie School at USM. Levine has added author to his long list of credentials. His book, "Leadership in Planning: How to Communicate Ideas and Effect Positive Change," is due out in July. The book is a guide for city planners, and anyone else who's interested, in how to get support for planning initiatives, and is published by Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, which publishes humanities, social sciences and STEM books.