HOULTON – Nearly four years ago, a fire reduced a 137-year-old building and the land that it was on to ashes.

Now town officials are hoping to take possession of the property and fashion it into a gateway to welcome visitors into Houlton’s historic downtown.

During a recent special meeting, town councilors took the first in a series of steps that are necessary for the town to acquire the vacant lot at 1 Market Square.

Officials hope to buy the property from its owner, Donald Goodrich, for $20,000. The money is slated to come from the town’s surplus account.

Three businesses and two apartment tenants were forced out of the building after it was hit by fire on Nov. 20, 2002. A few days later, Mark Antworth, 42, of Houlton was arrested and charged with setting the fire. He was found not guilty of the crime last July by reason of mental defect or disease.

After the fire, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency took responsibility for cleaning up the site, which was riddled with asbestos from the building’s siding.

The EPA shelled out more than $200,000 to clear away 100 cubic yards of charred remains.

Goodrich had no insurance on the building, and the land has been vacant ever since the cleanup ended.

During the special meeting, Town Manager Douglas Hazlett assured councilors that the property had been cleared of contaminants. He also said that the $20,000 purchase price would not pose a hardship to the town.

“I can see no liability to the town by purchasing this,” he said. “This parcel of land … stands as the main entryway for our town. It would really set the tone for Market Square and I think the price is reasonable.”

Council Chairman Paul Romanelli agreed, calling the plot of land “the centerpiece of Market Square.”

For more than a year, the town has been working to revitalize its historic downtown. Last year, councilors adopted a downtown revitalization plan that offers ideas to design, organize and market the area.

After acknowledging that the parcel of land at 1 Market Square is the doorway to the downtown last year, officials began talking about buying the site and possibly turning it into a park.

Plans for the site are not yet final, and councilors will hold a public hearing on the proposed purchase of the property on Aug. 28.