Biddeford, ME CORE Finard has acquired 464,000 s/f across 13 buildings at the Pepperell Mill complex. The acquisition brings together two of New England’s leading real estate firms: CORE, the largest integrated commercial real estate firm in Northern New England, and Finard Properties, a real estate development and management company whose assets span office, retail, and hospitality throughout the East Coast.
“We are honored to be managing this important property in Biddeford,” said Todd Finard, CEO of Finard Properties. “We bought Pepperell Mill because it is such a unique place in the world — and we want to create an environment where tenants can thrive long-term. One of our first priorities is to get to know the tenants. We’re spending a lot of time in this initial year listening to businesses.”
“We are excited to have the opportunity to help shape the future of the historic Pepperell Mill,” said CORE president Josh Soley. “This is about more than just preserving a landmark; it’s about contributing to the ongoing story of Biddeford and the community that has thrived here for generations. Our goal is to ensure that the Mill remains a place of lasting value and significance.”
The historic former textile mill, originally built in the 1840s and redeveloped in 2004, anchors downtown and acts as a hub for local businesses and creative organizations. The portfolio in the acquisition includes buildings 9, 10, 10a, 12, 13, 13w, 15, 17, 18, 37 and 37b across the mill campus. It covers 464,000 s/f and 137 tenants across a wide range of industries.
The Pepperell Mill plays an important role in the resurgence of the town. The mill’s location, 20 minutes south of Portland and 90 minutes north of Boston, places it at an emerging market for creative industries.
One of the highlights of the project will be the transformation of 100,000 s/f of raw, industrial space within the mills into new usage.
Both Finard Properties and CORE will be combining their extensive management expertise, investments and resources into the flourishing of this next chapter of Pepperell Mill’s storied history.
CORE’s brokerage team handled the acquisition and are currently leasing available retail space within the complex.
As we all know, interest rates have been changing drastically, with movement in both directions, depending on the type and term of financing. The Federal Open Market Committee has taken drastic action in efforts to curb abnormally high inflation, but it hasn’t controlled labor cost growth to the extent that was intended.
The multifamily market in Maine’s major cities presents a diverse range of opportunities for investors. We looked at the potential benefits and unique characteristics of three major submarkets in the state: Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston-Auburn. The information below is based on research done in CoStar and county registries, and focuses on multifamily properties that have four or more units.