Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

Ex-bakery site still worries city

BY AMY CALDER Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- The Dirigo Young Marines paid a $13,000 tax bill and once more own the former Harris Baking Co. building, but city officials say the structure is a safety hazard and needs a lot of work.

"We paid everything," said Floyd Smith, the Young Marines' executive director and commanding officer. "The building belongs back to us."

The city earlier this year took ownership of the old, dilapidated building at the corner of North and Harris streets for nonpayment of taxes.

Last year, former owner Morrill Worcester deeded it for $1 to the Young Marines with the stipulation that the Marines pay the taxes. The organization didn't pay the taxes by the deadline, but got a "redemption" period of 45 days.

On March 25, they paid up, using money from a loan and fundraising, Smith said Wednesday.

"God was on our side," he said. "I feel great. At least now, we can get in there and get money into the building and get it cleaned up."

Fire Chief David LaFountain said the building has holes in the floor and the roof, the floors are warped and people have gone inside and started campfires. When he and others did a walk-through last year, they found pressurized gas cylinders.

"I'm glad there's an owner over there and I'm glad to hear he has a plan, and I hope he's successful," LaFountain said Thursday. "As of right now, I still consider it a dangerous building."

Mayor Paul LePage said earlier this year that the building should be demolished. He and some city councilors were not convinced a small organization such as the Young Marines could come up with the large amount of money it would take to fix the building and make it safe. Smith disputes that claim.

Prior to the fire, the city asked Worcester, a Columbia Falls businessman, to tighten up the building to make it less accessible. He was asked to post "no trespassing" signs and have someone check on the building weekly. City officials said Worcester complied, but nevertheless, a fire was set inside the building Aug. 20. No one has been charged in that case.

LaFountain said Wednesday the building is huge and needs a lot of work.

"I hope they get help, because they're going to need it," he said. "That place is a mess."

Plans for building

Smith said the building initially will be used for storage but eventually will include offices and training areas. The Young Marines has 26 members and aims to teach central Maine youths 8 to 18 respect, honesty, commitment and loyalty, Smith said.

"We have nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the United States Marine Corps," he said.

The group plans to raise money and seek donations of materials to renovate the 90-year-old bakery at 1 Harris St., which closed in 1998. Some people already have volunteered their services for plumbing, electrical and other work, he said.

"We're probably going to do the roof and clean-up this year and painting outside and probably repair the windows and doors. Next year, we'll probably tackle the inside."

City Manager Michael Roy said city officials have had concerns about the building for a long time.

He said they want to apply for federal funds for an environmental assessment that would determine whether lead-based paint, asbestos and petroleum contamination from a possible underground oil tank are on the site, and where that contamination is.

Smith said Thursday that the Young Marines plan to apply for the grant themselves.

"If (city officials) want to assist us in it, we'd be willing to do that," he said.

LePage was away this week and unavailable for comment, but City Council Chairman Dana Sennett, D-Ward 4, said he is worried about the building.

"I can understand why an organization would want to have its own place to meet," Sennett said, "but I really feel that it would have been better staying on the tax rolls and letting the city take it over and deal with it in a reasonable manner. I've always had concerns about safety in the building, as have the neighbors."

Smith says the Young Marines are looking for donations of money and items such as electrical and plumbing supplies.

Long history, long vacancy

Everett B. Harris founded the bakery in 1912 on Temple Street. It was called the Domestic Bakery at the time, according to newspaper accounts.

Fire destroyed the business in 1919 and it was moved to land on North Street that was the site of a former potato storage house. The business re-opened in 1920 and bakery routes were established. By the 1950s, about 200 people worked at the Harris Baking Co.

In 1959, it was sold to Joseph E. Boyle of Waban, Mass., for $550,000. Besides the main plant on North Street, the bakery had a retail outlet downtown and operated 47 retail and 14 wholesale routes covering central and northern Maine.

The bakery struggled with money problems in the 1980s. In the early '90s the state and several banks tried to help the ailing business with loans, but it closed in 1994. It re-opened in 1996 but closed again in 1998.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com