HAMPDEN – The future of the town’s former fire station remained uncertain Monday after a nonprofit agency indicated that it might not be able to afford taking it over even if the town gave it away for free.

The Mystic Lodge Temple Inc. had entertained thoughts of reusing the old building on Maine Road South, which the town had appraised at $120,000. But in a mid-December letter, the lodge indicated that existing zoning for the property and a review showing that substantial renovations are needed led it to the conclusion that the building had “little if any value.”

The letter, by Herbert Frost, treasurer of the lodge, pointed out that the building needed extensive roof support and repairs, windows needed to be replaced, the heating system had to be revamped and there was the potential of having to replace the asbestos siding.

The Hampden Water District pulled out of moving into the building because of the renovation costs, the letter stated.

Frost said that he’s not even sure the organization could afford the cost of demolishing the building, assuming it got the building for free. If it turns out to be financially plausible for the nonprofit organization, the building could be razed and turned into a parking lot or a veterans park that would include an honor roll of the town’s veterans. The honor roll had been in place before the fire station was built.

Meanwhile, the school district has its own pressing needs for the building, although the lodge stated that the district indicated that it is not able to pay much for it.

Burgeoning enrollments at Hampden Academy – located across the street from the old fire station – are providing a sense of urgency for the school district. Built for 580 students, Hampden Academy now enrolls 770 students and it is expected to increase by 30 students in each of the next two years, said Emil Genest, assistant superintendent for SAD 22, which includes the towns of Hampden, Newburgh and Winterport.

With the academy listed as No. 29 on a list of 110 school construction projects in the state, a new or renovated school is in limbo, although time is of the essence to contend with the overcrowding, Genest indicated.

“The train is coming down the track,” Genest told the council.

If given approval, the district would use the building to store equipment such as a tractor and lawn mowers, freeing up space in the technology education wing that could be renovated to add the 10 more classrooms the school anticipates it will need.

At its meeting Monday, the council agreed to meet with lodge officials to see what can be done with the property, with Mayor Rick Briggs saying the matter would be a high priority for the council’s finance committee.