Newcastle Publick House, LLC, the owner of the Newcastle Square building at 52 Main Street as well as the future site of the Newcastle Harbor House at 75 Main Street, has not paid taxes on either property in two years.
According to a bill from the town of Newcastle, the company owes $25,947.47 on the properties, including $976.52 in interest.
According to the bill, the Newcastle Square property, at 52 Main Street, is valued at $579,000. The Newcastle Harbor House site currently home to the locally known “elevator to nowhere,” the unfinished elevator shaft across from Maritime Farms, is valued at $277,500.
A Nov. 1 letter from Newcastle Town Administrator Ron Grenier requesting payment was addressed to Kevin Mattson, President of Mattson Development.
According to the Mattson Development website, the company “controls or manages more than $200 million in residential and commercial properties” in 12 Maine towns as well as Cincinnati, Ohio; Key Colony, Fla. and Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Bob Martin, Chief Operating Officer of Mattson Development, said the bill will be paid before the company applies for the a building permit for the Harbor House.
Martin initially doubted the accuracy of the bill and scoffed at an inquiry from The Lincoln County News. “It’s a non-issue – kind of like chasing ambulances,” Martin said. “It’s a stupid story.”
Later, after verifying the outstanding amount, Martin said he “thought that had been taken care of” and said it was “no big deal.”
As to the ownership of the properties, Martin said Newcastle Publick House, LLC is separate from Mattson Development. “We manage the property,” he said. “[Mattson Development] does have some investment in the property.”
“We are a property management firm,” Martin said. “That’s what we do.”
Martin declined to reveal Mattson Development’s share of Newcastle Publick House, LLC, calling it “proprietary information.”
“[Kevin Mattson] is the last person we have on record as the owner of the property,” Grenier said.
As of Oct. 28, the per diem interest charge is $3.12.
