For Immediate Release: August 22, 2022


Sanford, ME- Since the Goodall Mill industrial complex closed in the late 1900s, over 2,000,000 square feet of space has sat mostly vacant in Sanford’s mill yard. The proud structures that once built the City now drag it down. But this started to change in 2013 when the Sanford Mill, a mixed-use development with apartments, a hair salon, a gym, and a restaurant opened its doors.  

“The City knew something had to be done with the Mills and the first successful redevelopment would be the most challenging,” said Sanford City Manager Steve Buck. “The primary reason for the selection of the Sanford Mill was its smaller size, which made the project realistic and achievable.”  

The Sanford Mill, built in 1915, was used to manufacture fabrics, light bulbs, and plastic products. These uses resulted in a range of contaminants including semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), PCBs, lead-based paint, and asbestos. The City knew these issues would have to be addressed before the building could be re-purposed.

Leveraging a Community-Wide Brownfields Assessment Grant, Sanford oversaw Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments. Following the assessments, Sanford acquired the Sanford Mill and the adjacent Aerofab Mill through eminent domain. A Public Private Partnership was formed when the City Council transferred ownership of the properties to Northland Enterprises.

From 2008 to 2013, Sanford conducted comprehensive assessment and cleanup activities at the Sanford Mill and Aerofab Mill sites, utilizing over $3 million in EPA Brownfields assessment, cleanup, and Revolving Loan Fund grants. After the cleanup was complete, Northland Enterprises undertook an extensive renovation of the building and its environs, and in October 2013, the Mill’s first tenants moved in.

In September 2015, the City and Northland Enterprises were presented with the prestigious EPA Brownfields Phoenix Award. The EPA recognized the group’s notable accomplishment of cleaning a former Brownfields site and converting it into a community asset. 

“Sanford has a long history of turning significant challenges into opportunities,” said Sanford Director of Planning & Development Beth Della Valle. “We anticipate continuing the success of mixed-use redevelopment similar to the Sanford Mill, which won national recognition with a Phoenix Award and creation of Gateway Park, now a community gathering place where once a gasoline service station/bowling alley obstructed access to the Mousam River."

In November 2022, Sanford will be looking to build off its Brownfields success and expand upon the Sanford Mill complex. The City is seeking Voter approval for a Brownfields Bond of $1.0 Million to begin redevelopment of the International Woolen Mill in Sanford’s Downtown. This bond would serve as local matching funds to capture funding from the EPA, EDA, and other Federal resources to address the environmental issues of the dilapidated Mill Stack and Boiler House adjacent to the Sanford Mill. 

If the referendum is successful, Sanford is planning to demolish the ruined boiler house and stack and pave the space to create 127 parking spaces. A lack of parking in the mill yard and downtown are deterrents to the private investment needed to redevelop the area. This project will open opportunities for future public-private partnerships in the heart of the community.