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Domus development group breaks ground on its first condo project for mid-income, first-time buyers

five people standing in front of a rendering PHOTO / JIM NEUGER The Domus development team includes, from left, Jack Soley; Tim Hebert, CEO of Hebert Construction; Jennifer Hawkins, president and CEO of Avesta Housing; Simon Hebert, COO of Hebert Construction; and Jess Thompson, principal at Kaplan Thompson Architects.
By Tina Fischer

With a focus on building homes that allow the middle-income, first-time buyer to get a leg up in Maine’s very challenging housing market, a trio of developers are launching a series of projects to be built over the next few years — starting with a 45-unit condominium complex in Westbrook which broke ground last week.

Clover Terraces is targeted to buyers who earn between 80% and 120% of the area median income — too much to qualify for subsidized housing but too little to afford Maine’s skyrocketing home prices — often referred to as the state’s ‘workforce’ population.

“The teacher, the carpenter, the nurse, all these people who provide essential services to our society are being left behind. They can no longer afford to live where they work," said Domus co-founder and longtime Portland-area developer Jack Soley.

Soley is partnering with Lewiston-based Hebert Construction and Avesta Housing, headquartered in Portland, which is the largest nonprofit affordable housing developer in northern New England. The team has plans to build affordably-priced condominium complexes in Freeport, Rockland and beyond, featuring the same square footage, layouts and construction details as the Clover Terraces project.

The one- and two-bedroom condos are energy efficient and compact at between 500 and 650 square feet. They feature wood and tile flooring, high ceilings, large windows and in-unit laundry facilities. Tim Hebert said finishes will be “high end.”

Prices will start at $293,294.

rendering of a condo building
RENDERING / COURTESY KAPLAN THOMPSON ARCHITECTS
Clover Terraces is expected to be completed in Westbrook in late 2026.

Clover Terraces is part of an evolving residential housing campus at 35 Seavey St. The parcel is close to downtown Westbrook and includes the recently built 65-unit Seavey Terraces apartment building, developed by Soley and Hebert, and Seavey Crossing, an Avesta Housing complex under construction, which will offer 61 affordable apartments for residents 55 and older. 

Soley said the condominium complex is being built without subsidies.

The team will make the project "pencil out" by pricing 25% of the 45 units at market rates, while the other 75% will be priced at middle-income rates.

“Entry-level housing is an essential component of any healthy, diverse community, but Maine faces a critical shortage that is making it increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers and current homeowners looking to relocate for career opportunities," said Jennifer Hawkins, Avesta president and CEO.

“This scarcity of accessible housing doesn’t just impact potential homeowners, it also affects employers’ ability to attract and retain quality staff. Domus was created to help address this need.” 

Norway Savings Bank is financing the project, which is targeted to be completed in late 2026. Portland-based Kaplan Thompson Architects is the design team. 
 

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