WATERVILLE — The Planning Board later this month will consider final plans for two housing projects downtown that would bring much-needed rental units to the city.

Renewal Housing Associates LLC wants to build Head of Falls Village, a complex of 60 apartments and commercial space at 52 Front St. The $30 million to $35 million proposal would include two buildings along Temple and Front streets, on 1.7 acres.

It is being proposed by Todd Alexander, vice president and partner at Portland-based Renewal Housing Associates, which focuses on affordable, mixed-income and workforce housing. He is developing the project with Northland Enterprises Inc., a real estate development and management company also based in Portland.

The developers would raze four buildings that house Universal Bread, Damon’s Beverage & Redemption, the former Bob-In tavern, Creative Sounds & Video Systems and a former office building known as the Heath House at 60 Front St. that abuts Appleton Street to the north.

A proposed 33,800-square-foot building facing Temple Street would have about 15,000 square feet of office space on the first and second floors, with rental apartments on upper floors. The so-called workforce apartments, funded partially by money from MaineHousing, would be regulated under a program that limits occupancy to residents with household incomes at or below 80% of the area median income level for Kennebec County.

A 49,400-square-foot building on Front Street would have about 6,600 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and apartments on upper floors. Ninety-one on-site parking spaces are planned for the project, which calls for a two-way drive between the two buildings that connects Temple and Appleton streets. The area would have trees and landscaping.

In a separate housing plan, Kennebec Realty Partners LLC, which owns 155 and 165 Main St., wants to put apartments in those downtown buildings. Justin DePre told the Planning Board on June 13 that the hope is to finalize financing for the project in the fall and start building at the end of this year or early in 2024.

The buildings, known as the Eaton & Edith Blocks, formerly housed Atkins Printing Service, and 155 Main was home to Berry’s Stationers for several years before that business moved to Oakland.

DePre said 165 Main has three floors and 155 Main has two. He and his family are planning 15 studio apartments on the upper floors of 165 and the first floor would be retail. Six studio units also are planned for the second floor of 155. The units would be rented, DePre said.

DePre’s father, Thomas DePre Sr., and brother, Thomas DePre Jr., also are part of Kennebec Realty Partners. Thomas DePre Jr. is a member of the Planning Board and recused himself from voting June 13, as did board Chairwoman Samantha Burdick who said she had had discussions with the developers about the project.

The buildings are across the street from the Colby College-owned Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons at 150 Main St., which houses Colby students and staff members on upper floors and Camden National Bank on the first floor.

The City Council voted in May 2019 to amend the existing downtown tax increment financing district to remove 155 and 165 Main St. and allow a new district to be developed for them. That TIF district was developed in 2020.

In other matters, John Jabar is scheduled to request that 15 Washington St. be rezoned from Commercial-C to Commercial-A so he can build apartments there. The board may only recommend rezoning requests to the council, which has the final say.

Also, Thomas College is slated to request an informal pre-application review for solar farms at 180, 265 and 267 West River Road, as well as rezoning for those parcels.

The Planning Board is scheduled to meet July 25 at 7 p.m. at The Elm on College Avenue.

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