Bangor approves 55-room dormitory-style housing

The Bangor Planning Board unanimously approved the construction of a dormitory on Stillwater Avenue to act as short-term housing for people who aren’t in a position to rent an apartment or buy a home.

The roughly 21,000-square-foot co-living dormitory will have 55 single rooms and 45 parking spaces, according to the application. Residents will share common spaces, like bathrooms and kitchens. City zoning rules restrict buildings in that area to be 35-feet-tall or lower.

The building will be at 416 Stillwater Ave., which was previously home to Little Angels Daycare and Preschool, next to MaineSpace self-storage facility.

Bangor city rules require 75 percent of the rooms to be long-term housing, meaning longer than 30 days, and 25 percent can be for stays shorter than 30 days. However, the applicant must get a license from the city for all rooms used as short-term rentals, according to Anja Collette, Bangor’s planning officer.

The dormitory is intended to serve as an extended stay hotel for transient workforce in the Bangor area, according to the application. Guests could be people who are new to the workforce and don’t yet have the income or savings to secure permanent housing or a vehicle. Residents could also be contracted workers or travel nurses who aren’t intending to stay in Bangor permanently.

The building will have storage for bicycles and sit on a Community Connector route. The Planning Board also asked the applicant, listed as 416 Stillwater Avenue LLC, to speak with the Community Connector to explore the possibility of adding a bus stop in front of the dormitory.

Paul Woods, who is listed as the contact for 416 Stillwater Avenue LLC, did not return multiple requests from the BDN for comment prior to the Planning Board meeting.

The city requires that construction begin on a project within one year of the Planning Board issuing a land development permit. Construction must be completed within two years, though the city can grant extensions for good cause.