Great news from Saco Island – APARTMENTS AVAILABLE
Take a virtual tour of these brand new apartments - very stylish!
The Island is getting a lot livelier. New one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments will be occupied on Saco Island as of April 1, although prospective tenants can sign leases now for remaining apartments. Six leases for the stylish downtown units have already been signed. About twenty-five are still available, although they will go fast.
It is certain that many of the residents in these apartments will be retirees, or those looking to downsize. But what’s caught our eye so far is that all new residents in spaces that comprise what was formerly known as “Unit 91,” also known as the mezzanine level of Building 1, are professionals in their 20s.
More young people are moving into downtown Saco, consistent with recent data showing that the median age in downtown Biddeford-Saco has been plummeting. These results reflect what has been happening in Biddeford, where the median age in that city of 21,500 is 35.6, in a state where the population is aging rapidly, and the overall median age is 44.9. Different sources report various figures for Saco’s median age, but the most reliable figure appears to be 41.7. Saco experienced a 4.7% increase in population between 2010 and 2018, and is now home to 19,748 residents.
As redevelopment of Saco Island picks up steam, the trend toward younger residents is likely to continue. According to a recent peer-reviewed study by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois, not only have young people been a driving force in urban resurgences, but they favor living in central urban neighborhoods significantly more than previous generations did at the same stages in life. Commenting on the study, Richard Florida, a senior editor at The Atlantic said, “Where (millennials) choose to live will have a lasting impact on which places grow, which stagnate, and which decline.”
Saco Island and all Forge Collection properties are connected by a footbridge directly to the Pepperell Mill Campus, a driving force in the revitalization of Biddeford. That city has received widespread media attention after it demolished a downtown trash incinerator and its Main Street district began a spectacular rebound. Its reputation as a “foodie” destination and as a downtown entrepreneurial and innovation hub is clearly benefitting downtown Saco, and leading to accelerated redevelopment on Saco Island.
As for the new apartments, they’re in a beautiful historic building with, as they say, “great bones.” Brand new construction, one and two bedroom units. Thoughtful mid-century modern design and high-end, modern finishes like quartz counters and sleek, integrated European style appliances. Exposed brick, high ceilings and original beams, plus outdoor patios and a secured parking garage. The Forge Collection apartments are absolutely perfect for anyone looking for simple, modern and maintenance-free downtown living. If you’d like to take a virtual tour, click on the image on the left, at the top of this entry.