Downtown Housing Opportunity Assessment

Unlocking Housing Potential in Downtown Ellsworth

Ellsworth is at a pivotal moment. With the recent designation of the Downtown Historic District, property owners now have access to tools like historic tax credits that make building rehabilitation and adaptive reuse more feasible. This creates new opportunities to reinvest in existing buildings while preserving the character of downtown.

At the same time, the need for housing (especially for workforce and year-round residents) continues to grow.

This project connects these two opportunities: leveraging historic preservation to expand housing in downtown Ellsworth.

Project Overview

Heart of Ellsworth, in partnership with the Mid-Coast Board of REALTORS®, National Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of Ellsworth, and the Ellsworth Public Library, is leading a data-driven effort to identify housing opportunities within downtown properties.

At the center of this work is BOOMS Tracker (Building Opportunities on Main Street). This is a map-based tool used to gather, organize, and visualize data about downtown buildings.

Through this project, we will:

  • Inventory all floors of downtown buildings

  • Document current uses and vacancy

  • Identify underutilized spaces with housing potential

  • Create a shared dataset to guide future development

Why this Matters

Ellsworth is the commercial center of Hancock County, but housing availability remains a growing challenge.

Key conditions:

  • Rising rental costs

  • High percentage of cost-burdened households

  • Limited workforce housing

Downtown opportunity:

  • Active, low-vacancy storefronts

  • Underutilized upper floors

  • Walkable, mixed-use environment

This project will help:

  • Expand housing without new land development

  • Support downtown businesses with more residents

  • Preserve and activate historic buildings

  • Strengthen long-term economic resilience

Project approach

Property Inventory (BOOMS Tracker)

  • Map and document building uses

  • Identify vacancy and underutilized space

  • Create a shared, visual dataset

Property Owner Engagement

  • Understand goals and barriers

  • Identify feasibility and readiness

  • Connect owners to tools like historic tax credits

Housing Opportunity

  • Report Key findings and opportunity sites

  • Barriers and recommended solutions

  • Clear next steps toward housing development

Community Engagement

  • Public presentation at Ellsworth Public Library

  • Online project page with accessible results

  • Ongoing use of BOOMS Tracker to track progress

expected outcomes

Short-term

Clear understanding of downtown building use

Identification of feasible housing opportunities

Increased property owner awareness of tools and incentives

long-term

New housing units in downtown buildings

Increased downtown vitality and year-round residency

Preservation and activation of historic structures

A more resilient and accessible housing market

Project Partners

PROJECT LEAD + COORDINATION
FUNDING + MARKET EXPERTISE
PRESERVATION EXPERTISE + FUNDING
MUNICIPAL COORDINATION
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT