A developer has decided to turn the site of the former Augusta police station into affordable housing.

AUGUSTA — City officials plan to sell the former Augusta Police Department site to a Portland developer who plans to build about 100 units of affordable housing that will house seniors and families and possibly provide on-site child care.

Officials selected the Developers Collaborative’s proposal from three submitted to redevelop the former police station at 33 Union St., a 4-acre site between the Kennebec Valley YMCA and Capitol Park.

The Portland developer, which has partnered with the Augusta Housing Authority on other housing projects in the city, proposes to build 100 to 103 units of affordable housing in two phases, with a mix of senior housing limited to tenants 55 and older and family apartments with single-family options. , two and three bedrooms.

The developer will buy the property from the city for $500,000.

Plans include creating a day care center on the site, possibly in partnership with a nearby YMCA, city officials said.

Laura Reading, director of affordable housing for the Developers Collaborative, said their concept proposal was to develop a mix of housing for seniors and families “to create a multigenerational community on site with the existing Kennebec Valley YMCA campus and nearby recreational amenities such as like the Kennebec River Railroad. Trail and Capitol Park. Programming and services could include partnering with KVYMCA and their existing programs, as well as creating new spaces for new or expanded programs, such as providing additional child care space or creating a community kitchen that could bring people of all ages together.”

She said the company is just beginning the design process for redeveloping the site and plans to work with the neighbors and community involved in the redesign.

Three proposals were submitted through a competitive request for proposals, with the City selecting the Developers Collaborative proposal.

“This proposal is both achievable and ambitious, and we look forward to working with the Developers Collaborative to make this vision a reality,” Matt Nazar, the city’s director of development, said in a statement. “Their past work with the Augusta Housing Authority and other Maine communities has demonstrated quality, care and effective project management. We believe this partnership will be an important step in meeting Augusta’s housing and child care needs.”

Augusta Housing Authority previously worked with Developers Collaborative on other projectsincluding pelectronic development of the former Hodgkins Middle school to senior apartments, which opened in 2016.

Request for City Proposalsproposals must be submitted to convert city property into affordable housing development.

Amanda Bartlett, former director of the Augusta Housing Authority, said previously when she was in that position, the city was building since the opening of the new police stationhousing inspection may have been interested in purchasing the former Augusta police station to develop it into housing. Bartlett left that position last year to work at the Developers Collaborative.

The Augusta Quasi-Municipal Housing Authority has not submitted a proposal to build a police station.

The Developers Collaborative’s plans include demolishing the former police station building, which officials say has been demolished. numerous problems including a leaking roof.

Reading said Developers Collaborative, a firm that has developed numerous housing projects, and built a new homeless shelter in Portlandplans to apply for low-income housing tax credits in September 2025 and, if successful, could begin construction on the first of two phases in September 2026, with completion about a year later.

Rental housing will be available to people making 60% of the area median income or less. According to MaineHousing data for Kennebec County, that would be about $36,540 per year for a one-person household or $41,760 per year for a two-person household.

City Manager Jared Mills said the project provides a unique opportunity for Augusta to expand its affordable housing stock and make a significant impact on the community.

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