Former Popular Waterville, Maine Bar Demolished For New Housing

If there's one thing we often hear locals complaining about in Central Maine, it is a lack of affordable housing. Well, a new development planned for Maine's Elm City is aiming to curb that in the very near future.

If you’ve driven by Temple Street lately, you’ve probably noticed some changes, and big ones at that. The old Bob-In restaurant and lounge, a familiar spot for many decades here in Central Maine, was demolished last week as part of a major new project that’s bringing more housing and office space to downtown Waterville.

So how big is the new development going to be?

According to the Kennebec Journal, plans are in motion for a brand new four-story building to go up at 17 Temple Street. The project will include about 15,000 square feet of office space on the first two floors, with 18 apartments on the upper levels. Altogether, the building will cover more than 33,000 square feet!

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The apartments are considered workforce housing, which means they’re meant for people earning around 80 percent or less of the median income in Kennebec County. The KJ explained that Rent will vary depending on income, but just to give you an idea, a one-bedroom is expected to go for around $1,285 a month, while a two-bedroom will be about $1,445 a month.

Who or what is footing the bill for this mondo new building?

The project is being partially funded by MaineHousing and is part of a larger push to bring more affordable living options to the heart of Elm City, right where many in the area say it's needed most.