MOSCOW — Cianbro Corp. of Pittsfield and two investors from Massachusetts have bought land and buildings owned for decades by the federal government and plan to develop energy-generating plants on the site as well as attract other businesses.

Cianbro, along with Massachusetts investors Conroy Development Corp. and Jay Cashman Inc., announced Monday morning the partnership will buy the site that was used as a U.S. Air Force backscatter radar station.

Cianbro CEO Peter Vigue said in a telephone interview Monday that the purchase of the site, which includes about 1,300 acres and 30,000 square feet of “high quality” building space built by the federal government in the 1970s, is a joint venture among the three parties.

“We’re looking at not just wind power, but other sources of energy that would be developed on site,” he said.

He said the site is ideal for that type of development. “The site is isolated and secure. It’s on a flat plateau and out of the visual patterns for any of abutting landowners.”

Developers plan to focus on hiring locally.

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“Their plans are, as soon as they get something started, they’re going to look into local people first to fill any jobs,” said Selectman Elvin Hawes.

Vigue said development not only offers the promise of local employment, both in temporary construction work and permanent jobs at the energy generation plants and with business tenants at the site, but also a chance for the town to expand its tax base.

Besides the three buildings on the site, there is a power substation and transmission lines, Vigure said. He said he hopes the buildings and the likelihood of cheaper electricity bills for future tenants will lure other businesses to the area.

He said the group already has been in discussion with companies that want to move there.

Vigue said he, Cashman and other associates met with Moscow selectmen on April 5. Conroy Development, of Stoughton, Mass., is a commercial real estate development and investment company specializing in office and industrial properties. Jay Cashman Inc., is a heavy construction company based in Quincy, Mass.

Moscow First Selectman Donald Beane said the former radar site has been off the town tax books for many years because it was owned by the U.S. government and he welcomes the infusion of property tax dollars.

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“We’re very happy about it and optimistic that it will help the economy of this area that badly needs improving,” Beane said Monday. “We’re very pleased that Cianbro is associated with them, as they are such a respectable and reliable company here in Maine.”

Hawes added, “Anything that looks positive is good news for the area and Moscow.”

A remnant of the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force’s Over the Horizon backscatter system was developed in 1970. It was mothballed in 1997 in favor of more advanced military technology, and dismantled in 2009. The radar station could peek from Moscow, Maine, over the Earth’s horizon and track war planes and missiles launched from Moscow, Russia.

The U.S. government’s General Services Administration sold the property for $730,000 in December to Western Maine Realty, a real estate firm with ties to Jay Cashman Inc.

Vigue said his company has had crews at the site for the past two weeks cleaning up the area and securing the buildings for prospective investors.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com


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