Officials in York, Maine, at the extreme southern end of the state, are cautiously optimistic that the much-anticipated York Village revitalization project will break ground in 2026 as they prepare to clear a critical funding milestone.
The York Selectboard is expected to release the town's $400,000 contribution toward the $3.5 million project, which aims to transform historic York Village by building new sidewalks and relocating its Soldier's Monument to improve traffic flow. The community's portion of the funding was approved by voters in 2016.
York's contribution marks a significant step toward the project's realization, noted the Portsmouth Herald, in nearby Portsmouth, N.H.
York Village is a neighborhood near the Maine coastline that is noted for its historic structures and upscale shops. The proposed upgrades are expected to bring a brick plaza, open lawn and parking improvements to the area and have been in the works for more than 10 years.
However, the Selectboard has opted to delay the vote until April 14, 2025, as some members requested a detailed breakdown of costs from Dean Lessard, the town's engineering director, who was unable to attend the group's meeting on March 24, 2025.
The funds will go toward completing final designs and construction documents to be used by the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), which will oversee construction and contribute 10 percent of the project's funding.
The remaining costs are slated to be provided by the federal government through a partnership with MaineDOT and the Kittery Area Comprehensive Transportation Study Committee.
But, the York Village effort has been plagued by years of delays, the Herald noted March 27, 2025, with the most recent setback occurring in 2024 when the Selectboard learned that construction would be pushed from 2025 to the spring of 2026.
And, according to a memo shared with the board, the timeline has now shifted to fall 2026 or spring 2027.
York Town Manager Peter Joseph said he could not rule out further delays given the project's history.
Selectboard Chair Todd Frederick said the step toward funding the final designs is significant because it is the last one before a shovel hits the ground, although he added that it does not mean he is holding his breath that the project will get under way on time.
"I'll believe it when I see it advertised, when there's an award and there's a shovel in the ground," he told the Herald by phone on March 25, 2025.
What Does York Village Revitalization Entail?
York officials have said the revitalization project is based on the York Village master plan approved in 2015. Then, as now, a major goal of the work is changing Long Sands Road's intersection with York Street to a T intersection.
Currently, the intersection runs around a traffic island featuring the Soldiers' Monument, but after work begins, the monument will be moved 15-20 ft. away to a location where the roadway is not on each side of the marker. Other changes include transforming head-in parking spaces into parallel spaces and adding sidewalks, bike lanes and new green areas.
The York Village improvement project was originally scheduled to start in 2018, but state officials delayed the work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.
Later, in 2023, the Selectboard was told by Brian Keezer, a MaineDOT project manager, that the agency needed more time to establish rights to temporarily stage construction on property owners' land, as well as to put out bids for contractors.
Keezer, who is no longer with Maine DOT, said in 2024 that there was still difficulty at that time in conducting right-of-way work because of how hard it was in finding licensed real estate appraisers.
Joseph told the Herald that he was not sure where the state stood on its responsibilities.
The delays have led York Selectboard members to be critical of MaineDOT's efforts, including Robert Palmer, who in 2024 said the lack of progress made him reluctant to work with the state on similar projects in the future.
"Sometimes it's just not worth taking the money," he said.
The Herald reported that on March 24, 2025, the Selectboard learned that MaineDOT had completed enough of its tasks so that it was ready for the town to release its funds to complete designs and construction documents.
York Village Revitalization Project to Be Done in Phases
Whenever the construction at York Village finally does get under way, it will encompass two phases, according to a memo from the town's staff to the Selectboard. The first phase will use $2.1 million in approved funding, while the second portion of work will require an additional $1.4 million.
Phase one, as outlined by Lessard to the Selectboard, will cover York Street from the intersection of Lindsay Road by the York Town Hall to the area around Cumberland Farms; Phase two will extend down York Street to Moulton Lane near Saint Christopher's Church.
The initiative to enhance walkability in York Village dates back to 2011 when the York Village Study Committee was formed to develop strategies for spurring economic development. Frederick cited a report by Milone & MacBroom, an engineering consultant in the Northeast, which described the goal as "putting the village back in York Village."
"It's a very good project," he said. "We're hoping to bring new life and vitality to our downtown."
