Many former mill complexes languish due to a daunting legacy of industrial contamination. The Town of Sanford Maine has two dozen known brownfield sites within an historic millyard of nearly one million square feet of largely vacant space. While many of the mill structures are still in good condition, there is a need for a viable reuse plan in an economy that shows little evidence of market demand. In addition, multiple property owners with different visions for the future have stymied redevelopment since the 1970’s.

The millyard rehabilitation revolves around growth economies in the region that could be attracted to the buildings if they were to be repositioned. The plan leverages the presence of the Mousam River raceway to concentrate development around a central courtyard that holds potential to influence the greatest number of property owners, incrementally growing space utilization by leveraging specific market niches not currently identified in other communities. Strategies for remediation create a new energy landscape within a rehabilitated civic core. 

Sanford’s Brownfields Area Wide Plan garnered awards by the Boston Society of Landscape Architects and the Boston Society of Architects for Urban Planning. The adaptive reuse of the Sanford Mill is complete and stabilization and environmental assessment of the Goodall Mill has been completed. 

• Weston&Sampson
• CityVisions Associates

Town of Sanford 

Sanford Millyard Brownfield Area-Wide Plan 

Citation – Urban Planning Award

2015 Boston Society of Architects (with Spurr: Weston&Sampson)

Sanford Millyard Brownfield Area-Wide Plan 

Merit Award for Landscape Analysis and Planning

2013 Boston Society of Landscape Architects (with Spurr: Weston&Sampson)