L.L. Bean to develop new $45 mil retail and lifestyle center in Freeport

Contact: Kathleen Leahy Born, AIA
Arrowstreet
born@arrowstreet.com
617.623.5555

or

Al Yebba
Berenson Associates
ayebba@berensononline.com
617.248.4200

(Oct. 2006) Freeport, ME- Arrowstreet has been commissioned to design Village Square, a $45 million project in Freeport, Maine.   Arrowstreet’s design for landowner L.L. Bean and developer Berenson Associates will bring 113,000 square feet of new lifestyle retail and 550 garage parking spaces to Freeport’s downtown core. This is one of the first steps in implementing the town’s Vision 2010 plan to enhance Freeport as a leisure travel destination.

The proposed design takes advantage of the existing grade change over the site to efficiently create a two-level garage - the first in Freeport - underneath a retail plaza that will be comfortably on grade with Main Street. Historically, retail spaces in Freeport have been small - Village Square will provide larger retail areas to attract new tenants to the market.

Arrowstreet is currently working on the schematic design and beginning the entitlement process. The open design of the retail space includes multiple, large plazas that can be used by carts and a center pavilion, which town councilors have likened to Faneuil Hall in Boston. The historic Mallet Building will be used as one of the main entrances to the development.

Al Yebba, Berenson’s Chief Operating Officer and development director for the venture said, “We are excited to bring a state-of-the-art lifestyle center to downtown Freeport. We believe this project will enhance the character of the village and serve the needs of today’s consumers.”

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Arrowstreet is a multidisciplinary design firm based in Somerville, MA. For more about them please visit www.arrowstreet.com.