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The Town of Orono gave preliminary approval to an architecture firm hoping to build a large apartment complex on Park Street Wednesday. The proposed complex would contain 12 buildings with 12, two- to four-bedroom apartments in each building. The apartments would be set up in a community atmosphere, with students expected to occupy most of the units.
During last week’s Orono Town Council meeting, GMH Associates Inc. made the initial proposal to build the apartments, which would be located behind Ushuaia, near the Washburn apartments.
“We have begun our pre-application with the Department of Environmental Protection, had discussions with neighbors in the area, and discussed the building of the apartments with the Orono Land Trust,” said Robert M. Frank, head architect working on the project.
Members of the land trust said they were impressed at how early they were contacted about the apartments.
“We have had several designs of the apartment complex and have found one that meets the many requirements,” Frank said.
Many environmental considerations restrict how the complex can be built, due to the existence of wetlands in the area. Builders are trying not to disrupt the current trail system that goes through the area or change the atmosphere of neighboring residents, Frank said.
“The buildings will be constructed on areas that raise out of the wetlands, so will cause minimal damage to the wetlands,” Frank said. “The complex will be stepped back from the community around it. We will also be creating new trails in the surrounding wooded area, to offer more recreation opportunities for tenants and others in the surrounding community.”
The apartments are expected to be furnished and the complex may even have volleyball and basketball courts on site, according to David P. Hartsfield, vice president for GMH Associates. The units would be serviced monthly by maintenance personnel, he said.
“The buildings will all be connected by sidewalks,” Hartsfield said. “We will be trying to create a real community atmosphere.”
Michael Juel, who ran the meeting, raised concerns about how the owner will keep the number of tenants to the amount expected. “Many of the homes rented in Orono are expected to have four tenants and eight live there. What will GMH do to prevent this?,” Juel asked.
“We run many apartments in various parts of the country in university areas, and are used to dealing with this,” Hartsfield said. “We will have one of our full-time staff living in the complex to keep an eye on things. The monthly service that is conducted will be able to tell if there are more than the expected number of residents living in the apartment”
Local police and fire stations have also been contacted to discuss how the complex would be observed by law enforcement, Hartsfield said.
The architect is trying to plan for access to the university from the complex, possibly through a trail or path.
Last week’s meeting was the first of several during the approval process. Final plans may not be in the works for a year or more.
Bangor Daily News