BELFAST, Maine — The Front Street Shipyard would like to expand again on the Belfast waterfront — and while some city officials are all in favor of the economic stimulus this would provide, others have major concerns about the magnitude of the expansion.
JB Turner, president of the shipyard, said Wednesday that the company would like to construct another large building and also install a new travel lift that would be able to haul twice as much tonnage out of the water. The lift the company wants to put in would have a 330-ton capacity to haul superyachts and would be one of the largest in New England.
But the shipyard, which over the last two years has largely transformed Front Street and the Belfast waterfront, needs more of the city’s land to make the expansion happen, Turner said. For possible sites, he is looking at the municipal parking lot next to the shipyard, the railroad building most recently used by the Belfast Maskers and Thompson’s Wharf.
“We’re in the preliminary talk stages with the city to see how they would react to our hopes and dreams,” he said. “The parking lot seems to be the first focus for a new building.”
With the construction of an additional boat shop, Turner said the company might be able to create at least 40 jobs. More than 80 people already are employed at the year-round company.
“We’ve had several boats already that we’ve been unable to lift at all,” Turner said. “We don’t necessarily like saying no, when there’s work available.”
According to a press release issued Wednesday by the shipyard, the company is proposing to lease or purchase city property to build the shop. Officials will make a public presentation of their proposal at the regular Belfast City Council meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, at Belfast City Hall.
It will be good to start that public conversation, said City Councilor Mike Hurley, who added that he has a lot of concerns about the company’s proposal.
“I’m very concerned about the city of Belfast’s property not being used up entirely for the Front Street Shipyard,” he said, cautioning against creating a business monoculture at the waterfront. “A few years ago, we had Stinson’s [sardine cannery], the railroad, the Maskers, the Belfast Boathouse, Thompson’s Wharf. Six items. They would like them all to be Front Street Shipyard.”
Hurley said that having one business own so much property there is “unacceptable.”
“I work not just for the people who elect us. I’m trying to think of 20 years from now. What are we going to be? What do we want this to do?” he asked. “I’m interested in continuing a very serious conversation. We want to help the Front Street Shipyard as much as we can. We also want to protect the long-term interests of the people of Belfast.”
But Mayor Walter Ash has a very different take on the company’s proposal.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “It’s all about jobs, and I’m all about jobs. They’re going to put another 40 people to work, and it’s not only those jobs — it’s going to create jobs up and down Main Street, when you can bring people who can afford those types of boats, they have money to spend. I think it’s terrific. I’m tickled to death.”
Ash said that he is eager to hear input from the whole community about the shipyard’s proposal. In his opinion, the municipal lot adjacent to the shipyard really only is used by the company’s own employees and selling that space for a boat shop could work well.
“All I see that is [is] making a better use of something we have in that area,” he said.
no where to go up for this company, I think belfast should ride the wve. I didn’t see them asking for any handouts in the article. I bet if you don’t take the expansion you will loose later to another coastal town who will let them expand alot. There are some dead spots in Portland harbor I am sure Portland love to have you.
This business is in it’s infancy. I’d rather see a few more successful, satisfying years from them before doing this.
Rather than a parking lot and a vacant building?
Fact. The rich have gotten richer under Bush’s trickle down. We might as well service the rich in Waldo Cty rather than send them packing south. These are good jobs that don’t require a ton of college.
Where else is that gonna happen?
This is good for Belfast. They are willing to lease the land or buy, but the lease agreement will bring money into the town coffers as well as the structure/equipment taxes. It creates jobs. Why stand in the way just to get your name in the paper or I guess support from the nimbys in the next election?
Maine needs jobs. Maine needs jobs…… Did I mention we need jobs?
The people who can afford these boats are people who are more apt to spend more money in Maine if the boats they own are here. They (it would seem) might even take a liking to the area and buy homes or invest in the area.
I don’t live in Belfast, so it’s not my decision to make. I do live in a coastal town and I am sure we would love to have them move the business here. Many of my fellow towns folk would love the additional revenues to ease our property tax a bit.
From slum to stunning- let them stun the rest of Front Street at
their expense and add to the Downtown TIF. Let the Northport Ave TIF
save Seaview Terrace from the City slaughter of using this flood zone,
flood plain as a free City Storm Water Sewer from every Planning
development for 37+ years and still sending with full denial, corruption
and intimidation tactics. See video from
http://www.belfastbullies.blogspot.com. Doesn’t matter where we are from, at
one time we were all “From Away” and pledge liberty and justice for all.
Sincerely, Laurie Allen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d_MG7PCUD0 You Tube Video Erosion of my stream taken 8/2011
11/1/11 First Meeting After 7 months of Lies/Withholding Public
Documents/Tossing Me Around like a Pack of Cigarettes…sucking the life
out of me
http://vimeo.com/31506248
11/1/11 City Hall Meeting- fast forward 20minutes, 44 seconds, hard to
hit that though, seems to jump from 20minutes to after my speech is
done. May have to begin listening at 19 minutes, but don’t ff- it will
skip to end again. You can back it up too. I give almost 15 minutes of
choking testimony. After my wrenching public plea to stop
flooding us 52 minutes into meeting City Manager Joe Slocum tries to
deflect from missing map and discredit me, that was only the beginning
of the missing documents that Wayne must have hid when you hear him give
the history of the development56 minutes into meeting. When questioned
by Council, Mike Hurley as to what is Belfast’s Storm Water Ordinance,
Wayne Marshall, City Planner and torturer of my life, states it directs
to send storm water to nearest PUBLIC waterway- streams. I have
requested this ordinance since and he fails to produce it… he must be
lying and Seaview Terrace is NOT a public waterway, the City has no
right aways or easements…THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!!Then Mike Hurley says
this storm water flooding is Council’s problem but then they vote to
take no action in the 1/3/12 Meeting where they brought in the City
Attorney who had more public documents with held from me specific to my
property. When I tried to question him he ran away and Council closed
the discussion.
See side bar- video links for more meetings where I stand tall and speak
true, deaf to City ego’s…. See Mike Hurley’s public slander rant
against this honest mom, police guard at 2 meetings for me, Mayor Ash
gripping that gavel trying to shut me up, hypocrites and liars
Is your comment for or against the expansion?
How can you not want a shipyard to expand creating 40 new jobs? I agree with Walter Ash.
Let ’em expand. This is Belfast, the town beside the sea. A waterfront to accommodate all interests. Where boats of all shapes and sizes dot the harbor.
It’s a place in warmer months where competing boaters nail together small craft and immediately test their craftsmanship and seaworthiness. Dinghy races pave the harbor with sheets of canvas. Oarsmen cry their cadence as they bob among the swells. Fairs along the waterfront pull in crowds. The shops and cafes are filled with excited tourists.
You can either take a cruise in a vintage sailboat or bring your own. The harbor boasts the best launching ramp anywhere in Maine.
Boats and boating is Maine. This new venture which is constantly expanding, is a credit to the Belfast Waterfront, the town, and its great little harbor. All will benefit.
David- Absolutely For. MBNA fixed one hell hole (as City Hall blows tax dollar after tax dollar in studies to enhance their visions for glory while they drown us) and Front Street Shipyard turned one portion of hell hole #2 into incredible awe. I say, Bless You, Thank You, and can’t wait to see the results from an outfit that truly knows how to plan. The increased value for the downtown TIF would be great for infrastructure and get greedy visions off of the Northport Ave TIF. Include Seaview Terrace into the TIF via the new Annex, and finally get 35 years of free stormwater City draining out of our tiny backyards by building sewers. As we drown, I watch every leaf getting sucked up, meticulous mowing, endless snowplowing, sewers and drainage for the privileged and transfer station improvements, to name only a few. Planning’s projects fly through approvals, most over budget, planning issues unforeseen, baiting Council at every grant. Final Plans in hiding, please put them back to the public at the Waldo Registry. Residents get flooded and City Wall Hall shuts them down with our tax dollars and City Attorney. Fighting back is an attorney’s dream and financial and spiritual devastation to the resident broken by City inflicted red tape. Maine is 5th in government corruption and begins at the local level. Don’t even get me going on BHG Town and Country Reality.