November 23, 2024
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L.L. Bean details on Bangor agenda

BANGOR – Though the celebrating already has started, city officials need to address a series of technical details before the L.L. Bean call center can be set up near Bangor International Airport.

The BanAir Corp. and the City Council on Monday are slated to address those details in separate meetings at City Hall.

The Freeport-based sporting goods giant announced this week that it has picked a property at the corner of Main Avenue and Godfrey Boulevard as the site of its fourth year-round call center, a project expected to bring as many as 600 to 800 year-round and seasonal jobs to Bangor.

As it stands, however, the city owns the land, but the building and related improvements still are owned by Irving Oil Corp., which occupied the building until recently.

To that end, city officials will consider appropriating $2.7 million to buy the building from Irving so the city can lease it to L.L. Bean.

The funds, which would come from airport reserves, also would cover closing costs, a brokerage commission and some improvements to the building.

The first step involves BanAir Corp., the nonprofit group that manages city-owned property at or near BIA. During an afternoon meeting Monday, BanAir board members will be asked to assign their sale contract with Irving to the city of Bangor.

“That’s because the city’s [land] lease with Irving stipulates that Irving must have the city’s consent before it can sell its building to a third party – even if that third party is the city,” City Solicitor Norman Heitmann said Friday afternoon.

During the council meeting, city councilors will be asked to take over the sale contract, appropriate money to buy the building from Irving, and authorize the lease of the land and building to L.L. Bean.

According to city documents, lease provisions would include:

. An initial term of five years, with two five-year renewal options.

. A monthly lease rate of $19,375.

. City financing of up to $981,900 for building improvements and to add 300 spaces to the existing parking lot.

L.L. Bean would pay all taxes, utilities and other operating costs.

During the same meeting, the council will consider terminating its land lease with Irving, effective upon the city’s purchase of Irving’s building.


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