05/27/2008
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Staff photo by David Leamingfrom the Kennebec Journal
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All of today's:
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from the Morning Sentinel
Priced to sell.
The Somerset County Jail is up for sale and there may be buyers waiting in the wings, county officials say.
A large "for sale" sign went up recently in front of the venerable old hoosekow on Court Street.
Philip Roy, chairman of the Somerset County commissioners, said the price tag for jail, built in 1897, is $200,000.
"Amy McLellan at Dawson Commercial realty out of Bangor, who we listed it with, came up with that figure, basically looking at what it is and how much work it would be to do any type of renovations on the project," Roy said. "That was her high number."
Roy said there is one potential offer on the table from a local business person to turn the jail into a grist mill. Another offer, from out of state, also has been mentioned, he said.
"I'd like to have it go back on the tax rolls of Skowhegan and I'd also like to see it create jobs -- ultimately, that's what we're looking for," he said. "We do have an individual who put in a proposal for grist mill, which is grinding type mill for wheat, flour. It sounds pretty intriguing."
Roy said county commissioners have not yet seen the grist mill offer in writing, but expect to have copies after the Memorial Day weekend.
"We have not seen the proposal officially," he said. "We've been told we may have another offer coming our way sometime (after Memorial Day) from an out-of- state company. We have been told there is someone extremely interested in the facility and is looking at making an offer."
The old lockup is to be vacated this year.
Staff and inmates will move into a new 200-bed jail, still under construction on East Madison Road in Madison, sometime this summer.
Tonya Allen, an assistant real estate broker for business and commercial properties for ERA Dawson-Bradford Co. of Bangor, said there are groups that have shown interest in the jailhouse property.
One of the selling points, she said, it that the building is situated in the heart of downtown Skowhegan, with no zoning or permit-use restrictions.
The prospectus on the property says the lack of restrictions "sets the stage for unlimited potential" in an area that is in need of a restaurant or an art gallery.
"We've had a lot of interest in the property," Allen said. "There's a lot of creative ideas out there."
Allen said there still are "a lot of steps to go through" to bring the building up to codes for development.
Roy said the county is not interested in selling the place to a nonprofit or a tax-exempt entity. "We want to create jobs and create a tax base," he said. "It's an interesting building. It could be used for many, many things -- you could have private dining -- the old story was Jail House Restaurant, can you imagine."
Other ideas have included an art gallery, a gift shop and a bus station, he said.
Doug Harlow -- 474-9534 ext. 342
dharlow@centralmaine.com
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