NORTHPORT — The Town of Northport has been awarded $2.325 million from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) towards Northport’s new Town Office and Community Center construction project.

"Northport wishes to thank its entire congressional delegation: Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Angus King, and Rep. Jared Golden, all of whom supported the Town’s request for federal funding," said James Kossuth, Town Administrator, in a news release.

With that federal grant and more than $100,000 in donations and pledges already received, Northport is now nearly halfway to its $5.2 million fundraising goal, according to Kossuth. Including last year’s Town Meeting authorization to borrow up to $3.5 million, the Town has enough money to begin construction.

The new Town Office and Community Center will meet many community needs for years to come. The new building will be fully accessible to all users, and it will also enable the Town to conduct all its functions, including voting, town meetings, and special events, in one location.

The Community Center will be available for events and meetings such as a community supper, family reunion, Scout meeting, Tuesday morning coffee among neighbors, Saturday night dance, or farmers market. Free high-speed internet will be available for those who lack it at home. During extreme weather events and extended power outages, the Community Center will serve as a warming or cooling center and place where people could charge their phones or eat a hot meal.

This project has been in the works since 2017, and securing the federal funding was the last major step before construction could begin. As soon as the USDA completes its review of the project, the Town will be able to put the project out to bid. The Town hopes to begin construction in the summer of 2026.

Construction is expected to last for about a year, during which time the Town Office will temporarily be relocated elsewhere in town. (That location is still TBA.)

Town officials are excited by the show of support by residents so far, according to Kossuth.

“Right now, and especially since the Hutchinson Center closed, there is a desperate need for public indoor space in this region,” says Shelly Patten. She served six years on the Select Board, from 2017-2023, and worked at the Hutchinson Center from 2018-2022, participated in the earliest discussions about the need for a new Town Office and Community Center.

Patten sees the Community Center as a crucial step in the future of Northport.

“The new Community Center will provide space to hold Town Meetings, and host celebrations and nonprofit groups, and for continuing education, movie nights, and informal get-togethers,” she said.

“The stairs to my office on the second floor are a barrier for some residents. Saving them a trip upstairs will be a big help,” said Northport’s Code Enforcement Officer, Toupie Rooney. Rooney, who also serves on the Town’s fire department and as a first responder, sees opportunities in the new Community Center. “I am looking forward to having a space where the Town could host trainings that many town volunteers and employees need to keep our licenses current. As a code officer, plumbing inspector, firefighter, and first responder, I sometimes have to travel an hour or more for these classes.”

Town officials are planning for the long term to ensure that the new Town Office and Community Center can accommodate future public service needs as Northport continues to grow.

That long-term plan includes ongoing fundraising.

"Every tax-deductible dollar raised to support this project is one dollar that the Town will not have to borrow and not have to be raised through taxes," said Kossuth.

Contact James Kossuth, Town Administrator, at administrator@northportmaine.org or 338-3819 x 6, to find out how you can help get this project over the finish line, or simply visit Northport’s website to make a donation online at tinyurl.com/northport-builds.