Workforce housing to be built through three-way land swap

    GREENVILLE — The Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital (CA Dean) announced it has finalized a unique land swap involving Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) and Plum Creek to meet a significant need for affordable, local housing for those who work at the Greenville care institution.
    “This project will bring significant benefits to the town of Greenville and all who we serve,” said Geno Murray, president and CEO of C.A. Dean. “There is limited affordable housing in close proximity to the hospital, and this new housing project will greatly benefit our current and future employees. We also look forward to utilizing the land donated by Plum Creek as part of a compensation package to help attract new physicians to the area. Such creativity in recruiting of physicians and medical specialists is crucial for rural communities like Greenville.”

    The board of directors of the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, C.A. Dean’s parent organization has approved the land transfer to make the long-term plan a reality. The three-way land transfer involved Plum Creek donating 25 acres of its rural forestland in the Rum Ridge area of Greenville to CEI. CEI, a private, non-profit community and economic development organization, then arranged a land transfer with C.A. Dean to provide the Rum Ridge land to the hospital in exchange for a 5.5 acre parcel of land in downtown Greenville, which the hospital owned. 
    CEI now owns the Greenville land and will proceed with plans for a 17-lot affordable home subdivision named Poplar Green. The hospital now owns the Rum Ridge land. Plum Creek’s donation was an arrangement under its Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan and was designed to help spur local economic development and ensure the community hospital remains strong for those who live in and around Greenville.
    “CEI works to develop job-creating resources in rural regions of Maine,” said John Egan, director of Housing Development at CEI. “We are excited about the opportunity to provide affordable workforce housing for the Greenville community in hopes that it will attract new talent and promote economic growth.”
    CEI is currently finishing market analysis and working on design elements, and expects to break ground on the road in fall 2013. The new housing units will be initially marketed to the hospital workforce and then other employers in the area.
    “The Concept Plan for the Moosehead region was carefully designed to allow for appropriate development, conserve large parcels of working forests to support the timber products industry and the wildlife and plants that thrive there, and support the rural economy of communities like Greenville,” said Luke Muzzy, senior land asset manager for Plum Creek. “This land donation is one of many long-term efforts to support the communities where we own land.”
    Poplar Green will be a low-impact subdivision with ample open space for 17 single family homes connected to municipal services.  Several plans will be available or buyers can bring their own plan.
    “This is a significant step forward in the right direction for Greenville and I commend our local leaders from the hospital, Plum Creek and CEI for the commitment to making it a reality,” said Town Manager Gary Lamb. “Meeting employee needs will create an even stronger community hospital to meet the need of our residents and visitors alike.”