Kevin Bunker, of Developers Collaborative, Has Abandoned Effort to Convert 90 Blueberry Road Building into Shelter for New Mainers he Announced Today.

The 90 Blueberry Road Former Furniture Warehouse is No Longer a Candidate for Redevelopment into a New Mainers Shelter This Summer.

Kevin Bunker, of Developers Collaborative, confirmed today that he has abandoned his effort to convert a massive former furniture warehouse into a shelter for new Mainers who currently are residing at the Portland Expo. The threat of a time-consuming rezoning battle of the 90 Blueberry Road  property could have been a consideration in the abandonment of the property by the developer. In his email to this blogger, Bunker said he could not share any more information right now, but “stay tuned.”

In late March MaineHousing announced that the Center for Regional Prosperity had been awarded $4 million for a 280 bed shelter at 90 Blueberry Road, near the former UNUM headquarters on Congress Street  The funding for this transition comes from Governor Janet T. Mills’ (D) Winter Emergency Energy Relief Plan, which passed with the broad bipartisan support of the Maine Legislature in January.

On April 11, William Shane, Chair of the neighboring Ecomaine, wrote to city manager West opposing the use of the property as shelter for new Mainers.  He cited safety and  environmental issues as reasons why  the Board of EcoMaine did not support this use of the property.  It  is located directly across Blueberry Road from the abandoned former furniture warehouse.

“Stay tuned!”

“For more background information, please visit postsherein dated May 16, and April 14, 2023.