The developer of the Newcastle Harbor House project expects contractors to complete the “shell and core” phase of construction, including the exterior of the building, in as little as 16 weeks.
Kevin Mattson, president of Mattson Development and a stakeholder in Newcastle Publick House, LLC, the property owner, called the shell and core “the most important” part of construction.
Mattson estimated that contractors would finish the phase in four to six months.
Following the completion of the shell and core, the building will appear “finished” from the street, Mattson said. “The interior will take longer.”
The company will purposefully proceed with the interior at a slower rate in order to lure condominium buyers with the prospect of customization. “The more open and raw it can be, the more likely you are to find a market,” Mattson said.
A construction crew recently resumed work following the latest in a long series of delays for the project at 75 Main St.
Mattson Development received conditional approval from Newcastle to construct a mixed-use building, including a restaurant on the basement and first floor and office space and an apartment on the second and third floors, in October 2010.
The developer didn’t meet the conditions of approval, however, and after two extensions from the town, the permit lapsed.
In February, Mattson announced the company’s intention to return to the Newcastle Planning Board with a new proposal, but a meeting never took place.
Now, Mattson is resuming the project under the terms of an earlier permit for a five-unit condominium project without the restaurant.
Mattson outlined the reasons for the change during an April 14 interview at the Newcastle Publick House restaurant in Newcastle Square, another Mattson Development property.
The condominium project originally stalled due to the collapse of the condominium market, Mattson said.
“There’s a market for condos now,” Mattson said. He feels the Newcastle Harbor House offers a particularly attractive benefit.
“Try to find a condominium in the Midcoast that has a boat slip,” Mattson said. “It’s very, very rare.” A marina adjoins the Newcastle Harbor House property.
Mattson Development will market the units to the “55-plus” demographic, Mattson said.
A number of concerns caused Mattson to abandon plans to move the Newcastle Publick House restaurant.
“I didn’t want to put this business in jeopardy,” Mattson said, gesturing to the interior of the popular pub and eatery.
Mattson also expressed doubts about the parking situation, a contentious issue during the local permitting process. Even with valet parking, Mattson felt the difficulty of parking in downtown Newcastle might discourage potential patrons.
Finally, Mattson said he had doubts about late night noise from the restaurant conflicting with the proposed second and third floor uses, including the two-bedroom apartment on the top floor.
The condominium project will retain the same name (“I like [Newcastle Harbor House],” Mattson said) and Mattson is optimistic about construction.
The Windsor-based contractor, Tillson Builders, previously led two redevelopment projects for Mattson in Hallowell and Stonington.
Mattson Development, according to its website, “controls or manages more than $200 million in commercial assets” in Maine alone.
The Newcastle Harbor House site, with its long history of appeals and financial challenges, sticks out despite its modest scope.
“The smallest [project] we have ever done has become the most time-consuming,” Mattson said.
Mattson called his employee, who resides in the Newcastle Square building, a “very thoughtful person.”
Mattson, a former City Councilman in Hallowell, is a veteran of municipal government. “Anyone that steps up to [serve], I take my hat off to them,” he said. “It’s a hard job.”
