Norway Considers Demolition of Former Newspaper Buildings
On Thursday, the Select Board in Norway examined a plan to remove two aging structures that once served as the home of the Advertiser Democrat on Pikes Hill.
Todd Truman, the property owner and operator of Turn Key Homes of Maine in Oxford, informed the board that the white buildings visible from Main Street are in such poor condition that restoration is no longer feasible. He emphasized the significant fire danger posed by ongoing unauthorized entry and criminal activities at the site.
"The property is being broken into, and there are not good things happening there," Truman stated to the Select Board.
Truman detailed that intruders have been accessing the buildings to use drugs, removing protective barriers, and tampering with electrical systems, which has created a serious risk of fire. He noted that police have responded to multiple incidents at the location.
Interim Town Manager and Police Chief Jeffery Campbell confirmed that the Norway Police Department is monitoring the situation closely. "We've been in communication with them a number of times," Campbell said, "and we had people jump out the windows when we went there."
While Truman considered cutting power to the buildings to deter break-ins, he expressed concern that squatters might resort to starting fires inside, potentially leading to a disaster.
He mentioned that the brick section of the historic property has recently been renovated to meet current standards. However, the other half has long been neglected, resting on stones instead of a proper foundation and regularly flooding from the nearby Pennesseewassee Stream. The structure has sunk over three feet in the center, with its roof visibly sagging from the roadway.
"We've been wanting to do it for a while," Truman remarked. "It is just going to be an expensive process to tear it down."
After demolition, Truman indicated that a new building is likely to be constructed on the site. "We haven't really fully decided what we're going to do," he said. "Some sort of a retail space on the first floor and then maybe a residential or something like that. We want it to be a benefit to the town rather than a potential hazard."
Select Board Chair Russell Newcomb recalled his experiences with the building from the 1960s, describing it as a maze in poor condition even then. "I delivered for the Advertiser. I remember roaming through the building in the 1960s, and it was a maze and in pretty rough shape back then," Newcomb said. "If you build another building there, it would definitely be an improvement."
Newcomb added that the proposal will now be forwarded to the Planning Board to establish a committee for advancing the demolition project.
In separate matters, the board approved a memorandum of understanding for electric vehicle charging stations in downtown Norway. Previously, the arrangement with the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE) was informal, with the town owning and insuring the chargers while CEBE handled maintenance and operations.
Select Board Member Anita Hakala highlighted the importance of transparency regarding the charging stations. "It would be nice for the general public to know this," Hakala said. "People have asked me who's paying for that electricity. It should be shared with the townspeople."
