Old Augusta arsenal set for revitalization

AUGUSTA – A historic arsenal that dates back to Maine’s early years as a state will be getting an overhaul now that a North Carolina company has agreed on a purchase price for the property.

Neimann Capital, which specializes in restoring historic properties for commercial reuse, has agreed to pay $750,000 in two installments: $280,000 at closing and $470,000 when the company receives permits for the second phase of its project. Closing is expected in mid-March.

The Kennebec Arsenal consists of several granite buildings and a long-obscured 1,000-foot wharf across the Kennebec River from the Maine State House. The arsenal was first authorized in 1827, seven years after Maine became a state.

The military stopped using the arsenal after the Spanish-American War and turned the property over to the state. The property since then has had a number of uses, including housing patients with mental illness and storage, but has stood unused for years.

Hoping to revitalize the riverside property, the state Legislature and capital city approved millions of dollars in tax breaks and secured restoration grants.

New buildings on the site are to house a mix of about 70 apartments and condominiums on a hillside behind the aging granite buildings. Offices and retail businesses are also planned.

Interior renovations on some of the buildings can begin once the National Park Service approves the plans. Park Service approval is needed because the Kennebec Arsenal is a National Landmark, the highest federal classification for historic preservation.

The arsenal was built amid a border dispute with Canada and was kept well-supplied through the Mexican-American and civil wars. Construction was completed in 1831.

Niemann Capital has also been chosen for other redevelopment projects in Maine, including a former paper mill in Brewer and former shirt factory in Waterville.