A proposal from MillCompute LLC to develop a data and artificial intelligence technology center at Bates Mill No. 3 in downtown Lewiston was unanimously rejected by the City Council Tuesday evening.
The proposal called for using 85,000 square feet of the vacant property at 140 Mill Street and creating up to 30 jobs.
The city council rejected the proposal by 7 votes to 0.
The $300 million project was proposed by Lewiston native and building owner Bill Johnson, whose Twin Cities LLC partnered with MillCompute LLC. Johnson redeveloped several municipal properties, including Bates Mill No. 3.
Documents included in city council member briefs for the meeting stated: “MillCompute LLC has established a team that includes local leaders and experts from across the country in data center construction, operation and financing. »
The MillCompute website does not list any addresses or responsible persons.
The opposition raised several concerns
More than 100 residents had voiced their opposition to the project before Tuesday night’s council meeting and another 15 spoke against the project during the stand-up meeting at Lewiston City Hall.
Concerns cited included environmental impact, potential electricity rate hikes, whether the developer had a track record for this type of project and whether there was a better use for the old factory.
Jae Zimmerman, a local public school teacher, suggested the property could be better used as “a desperately needed second middle school” or a daycare. She said the project would conflict with the Riverfront Island master plan and, echoing the sentiments of other speakers, added: “Downtowns should be for people, not machines.”
Residents also rejected proposed tax breaks for the project, arguing that such efforts should be directed at existing Lewiston businesses.
A proposed 20-year tax increment financing and credit enhancement agreement “to support extraordinary energy costs” would have returned 90 percent of property taxes to the developer for the first 10 years and 85 percent for the next 10 years. The city’s annual tax revenue would have been $798,250 for the first decade and $965,000 for the last 10 years.
Council members needed no further persuasion. All seven expressed opposition to the project before the public hearing, noting that they had received a considerable number of complaints about the proposal.
“This is the topic I’ve received the most comments on since I’ve been on the city council,” said Scott Harriman, who represents Ward 3.
David Chittem, who represents Ward 6, said that while he believes concerns about extracting water from Lake Auburn are unfounded, the project presents “a number of other problems.”
“It had the potential to be a great project and it is still possible, but not with the time constraints that were placed on it,” Chittem said.
The Bates Mill complex dates to 1870 and includes 11 former mill buildings, some of which have been repurposed, totaling more than 1 million square feet. The four-story Bates Mill Building No. 3 is 169,000 square feet.