The Wilton selectboard is looking for bidders on the former Wilton Tannery site, which was recently cleared of contaminants under a federal cleanup program.

The board voted Tuesday night to send out a request for proposals to buy and develop the U.S. Route 2 property.

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Contaminants at the former Wilton Tannery, on U.S. Route 2 in Wilton, were cleaned up under a federal Brownfields Program. Now the town is putting the site up for bid in hopes of development. Staff file photo

Town Manager Rhonda Irish said developers have until Jan. 2 to submit a proposal.

So far, the town has heard from three interested parties.

The 15-acre site was declared safe and fit for resale after a Brownfields Program cleanup project gathered up leather scraps and other contaminants that were strewn on the property, buried them and built an EPA approved cover system to contain the material underground.

The spot where the material is buried is off limits to excavation, but contractors said a developer would have other options for that part of the lot, such as building a parking lot.

The former Wilton Tannery building still stands on the property. The town rejected the idea of tearing down the building before putting the land up for sale, and Irish said the board can work on creating a plan for its demolition after accepting a bidder.

The former tannery, at 82 U.S. Route 2, was built in 1959 and was previously known as Wilton Tanning and Kroy Tanning, according to a property listing on the Greater Franklin Development Corporation’s website. The building has been vacant since 2003.

The property is between U.S. Route 2 and Wilson Stream. Board members previously said the site is for commercial use and could possibly be used for some sort of outdoor recreation business because of its close proximity to the stream.

Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252

kschroeder@centralmaine.com

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