BANGOR, Maine — Bangor officials are courting suitors to redevelop an old Dow Air Force Base building, formerly known as the Pine Tree Inn.
The facility was built on base property in the late 1950s as living quarters for military personnel. When the base was decommissioned in 1969, it was passed on to the Maine Army National Guard and Army Reserve. More recently, the building was used to house military retirees, guard and reserve personnel, according to the city.
The two-story, 25,000-square-foot building — shaped like a backward “L” — is in “generally good condition for its age,” according to the request for redevelopment proposals.
“The interior floor plan is two floors of 21 rooms per floor with a shared bathroom between each two-room grouping,” the request states. “Substantial upgrades were done to the building in the 1990s.”
The city acquired the building in 2012 from the University of Maine System, which had taken over the deed from the U.S. government.
Bangor’s Business and Economic Development Committee gave city officials the go-ahead to issue a request for redevelopment proposals during a meeting Tuesday night.
“It’s an interesting building, with a series of small former hotel rooms that could easily be small office spaces or even space for artists or other innovative uses,” said Tanya Emery, Bangor’s director of community and economic development. “The city is looking for a redevelopment proposal that is appropriate for the area, creates jobs and investment, and one that is financially viable.”
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