Riverfront Island Master Plan

Lewiston's Riverfront Master Plan Strategy

EXCITING UPDATES:


In the summer of 2022, the City of Lewiston and Halvorson Tighe & Bond began an update to the 2012 Riverfront Island Master Plan (RIMP) which includes the canals, the riverfront trail, and Simard-Payne Memorial Park and Veterans Park. The update will include exploring better access from Lisbon Street to the riverfront, as well as including a market analysis to assist the City in its economic development efforts in this part of the downtown.  The Riverfront Island Master Plan update will be a guiding document for municipal expenditures to improve pedestrian connectivity and to improve engagement through upgrades to public spaces.

A public engagement website has been developed at the Riverfront Island Web Page for the duration of this update where the public can answer survey questions, make comments, and get more detailed information on the current status of the update work. 

RiverfrontInitiatives

2012 Plan :


2012 Riverfront Master Plan
2012 Riverfront Master Plan Summary


Riverfront Master Plan: Simard Payne Park Improvement Update

Richardson Associates on behalf of the City has been working on designing a new park to connect Lincoln Street to Oxford Street and Simard Payne Parkas well as making improvements to Simard Payne Park.This effort is the result recommendations made by the Riverfront Master Plan that was adopted last year. Staff from a number of departments have been meeting over the last few months to provide guidance and assistance as to the type of improvements envisioned as part of the Riverfront Master Plan. Richardson has been directed to pursue an aggressive timeline with respect to planning and design of said improvements with the goal of going out to bid for construction mid-to-late summer 2013.

Richardson is now at the point in the planning process where design work is set to begin. Before doing so, Richardson will be making a presentation of what improvements are being considered at this time to the Planning Board on April 8, 2013. Staff is looking for comments and suggestions from the Planning Board on the plan provided to date. After this meeting, Richardson will work aggressively toward design said improvements and developing a phasing plan for the City to determine how and where best to utilize the funding made available through the HUD Riverfront grant as previously identified and approved as part of the LCIP.

Efforts continue related to Lewiston’s Riverfront Master Plan (9/14/12)

Administration has provided a preliminary implementation schedule to the City Council with immediate, short, and long term goals. The Planning Board will be reviewing and providing guidance on this schedule at their September 24, 2012 meeting. The public is welcome to attend.

The City has submitted a grant application to the Maine Department of Transportation to construct 1700’ long, 10’ wide paved bike/ped path with a pedestrian bridge from Simard/Payne Park southerly along Androscoggin River to Cedar Street/Little Canada/Bernard Lown Bridge.The Androscoggin Transportation Resource Center (ATRC) and the City of Lewiston have begun undertaking the Lewiston Downtown Neighborhood Circulation Study. The goal of the study is to develop recommendations to improve both efficiency and safety for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic in Lewiston’s Downtown. Part of this study will look at pedestrian crossings on Main Street and the possible reduction of Cedar Street to two lanes with a center turning lane and bike lane.

City staff and Master Plan consultants from Goody Clancy will be discussing Lewiston’s riverfront planning efforts at the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Associations annual conference being held in Brunswick, October 3-5th.

The Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT), in partnership with the newly formed Lewiston-Auburn Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, will host its final public workshop on Wednesday September 19th at 6 p.m. hosted by Museum LA in the Bates Mill Complex in Lewiston to present their Draft Plan for Androscoggin Greenway in LA. Many of ALT’s efforts overlap the Riverfront Master Plans goals and visions. The public is encouraged to attend.

Construction is anticipated to begin sometime in October on a 113 room Hampton Inn hotel located at 15 Lincoln Street next to Yvon’s Carwash.

Efforts will be made to continue sharing updates of improvements and events as referenced and identified by the Riverfront Master Plan. The community is encouraged to continue participate and contribute at these meetings and events.

City Council Unanimously Adopts Riverfront Master Plan (posted August 7, 2012) On July 17th the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2011 Riverfront Island Master Plan as presented in May 2012 by the consulting firm of Goody Clancy. Further, the Planning Board was designated as the entity responsible for providing oversight of the plan’s implementation and ensuring its sustainability by periodically reviewing progress and recommending changes and modifications as necessary throughout the implementation period. In the coming months staff will work towards implementation of specific plan recommendations. The final draft of the plan may be viewed at the link at the top of this page.

City Council Scheduled To Adopt Riverfront Master Plan July 17th. (posted 7/10/12) The City Council is scheduled to adopt the Riverfront Master Plan at their next regular meeting on July 17th at 7 p.m. The Planning Board voted unanimously on June 25th to send a favorable recommendation for the City Council’s consideration adoption of the 2012 Riverfront Master Plan with the condition that the Planning Board have purview over implementation and sustainability of the plan. The Planning Board noted during their discussion the need for the continued support of elected officials and the community for the successful implementation of the plan over the next 10 or more years. The Board noted the time and effort placed into the plan, the current enthusiasm and momentum in the community for revitalizing Lewiston, and the need to keep this energy moving forward.

The final draft of the plan may be viewed at the link at the top of this page.

Planning Board Scheduled To Provide Recommendation On Adoption of Riverfront Master Plan June 25th.  (posted 6/20/12) The Planning Board will consider making a recommendation for the City Council's consideration to adopt the Riverfront Master Plan at their next meeting on June 25th at 5:30 p.m. Said recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration and adoption at a future meeting in July. The final draft of the plan may be viewed at the link at the top of this page.

Riverfront Master Draft To Be Reviewed at Joint City Council/Planning Board workshop May 29th! (posted 5/23/12) A joint City Council/Planning Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. to review the final draft of the plan. Recommendations on implementation of the plan will be sought as well as future endorsement by the City Council and Planning Board for adoption as part of the comprehensive plan.

Riverfront Master Plan Nearly Complete! (posted 5/1/12) After taking into consideration feedback and suggestions from the last public workshop and advisory committee meeting, Goody Clancy working on wrapping up the final version of the master plan for mid-May. Please return to this site to view the final plan and appendices. It is anticipated that a joint Planning Board/City Council meeting will be held in the coming months to discuss the final plan along with obtaining the Council's formal endorsement.

FINAL Advisory Committee meeting April 18th at 5. (posted 4/17/12)The advisory committee will wrap up discussion on the proposed plan discussing implementation and what aspects of the plan should be pursued first with the goal of having the plan formally adopted by the City Council sometime in May or June.

FINAL public workshop/community summit on April 4, 2012 at Museum LA at 6 p.m. (Posted 2/28/12)
Thanks to everyone who attended the public workshop on January 18, 2012. We had great attendance and look forward to the same level of interest on April 4th.

Please note the following date changes with respect to advisory committee meetings and the final public workshop:

  • Advisory committee meeting date has been changed to Wednesday, March 21 at 5 p.m., administrative conference room of city hall.
  • A draft report from the consultant will be forwarded prior to this meeting. Discussion will include review of the draft report and agenda for the final public workshop.
  • Final Public Workshop, Museum LA: Wednesday, April 4 at 6 p.m.
  • Final advisory committee meeting: Wednesday, April 18 at 5 p.m., administrative conference room of city hall.
  • The final committee meeting will provide members an opportunity to comment on what was heard from the broader public on April 4th before offering “final” comments on April 18th.

Historic Bates Mill photos (Posted 12/19/11) 

Historic photos of Bates Mill 5 construction This is a large file of about 4 MB, so be patient. Photos where taken during construction in 1912.

Join us for the next public workshop to discuss draft alternative scenarios for the Riverfront Island Master Plan on January 18, 2012 (Posted 12/19/11) To be held at 6 p.m. in the Bates Mill Atrium.

Please join us on November 16th for the first public workshop to discuss the Lewiston Riverfront Island Master Plan. (Posted 10/19/11)

You are invited to join us for the first public workshop to discuss this planning effort on November 16th from 7 p.m. -9 p.m. at the Franco Heritage Center, 46 Cedar Street, in Heritage Hall. Goody Clancy will be providing an overview of the master planning process and team, summary of preliminary findings, followed by small-group discussions of opportunities for the Riverfront Island area. The City and Goody Clancy are committed to ensure that all perspectives are taken into consideration as the master plan is developed. Over the course of the planning effort, three public workshops will be held. We look forward to seeing you on November 16th.

Meeting update for November 16, 2011 (Posted 09/23/11)

The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on 11/16 at Franco Heritage Center, downstairs in Heritage Hall. The Committee meeting will be followed by the first public meeting at 7 p.m. to be held in the same space. The Center has been kind enough to donate use of this space for both meetings.

Lewiston riverfront study kicks off with walking tour (posted 09/12/11) A long-awaited master plan and development study of the 77 acres between the Androscoggin River and the city's canal will kick off this week...read more at the Sun Journal.

Riverfront Island Walk-And-Talk (posted September 9, 2011) The City of Lewiston is developing a plan for Riverfront Island, the area between upper canal and the Androscoggin River. The plan will focus on the area north of Cedar Street, and will identify “next steps” in the revitalization of Riverfront Island. To help launch this 8 month planning process, the City’s consultants will be hosting an informal walking tour of the Riverfront Island area on Wednesday, September 14th from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Members of the public are invited to join the walk, and to share comments on the area's past, present and future.

This is one of multiple opportunities to participate in the Riverfront Island planning process. The process will also include public workshops, public meetings, and an email “comment box.” Both the website and the email address will be “live” by the afternoon of September 13th. The walk tour will start at the Bates Mill Number 5 parking lot, head south on Mill Street to Chestnut Street, and then loop north on Lincoln Street to Cross Street. Finally, the tour will head south along Oxford Street, ending at Cedar Street near the Continental Mill parking lot.

No RSVPs are required. For questions, please contact City Planner David Hediger.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas for the Riverfront Master Plan Committee meetings are also available in the Planning and Code Office.
Most Recent Agenda l View All Agendas

The most currently accepted meeting minutes of the Riverfront Master Plan Committee meetings are posted as soon as possible.
Most Recent Minutes l View All Minutes

Current File Downloads: (Note that larger files may take several minutes to download, and you may encounter a blank screen while the file is downloading.)

Background Materials:

The following is a collection of previous studies and reports that relate in some manner to the Lewiston's riverfront. Some PDF's are large, so be patient.