Description
Maine's last sardine industry giant & adjacent land are poised on the easternmost edge of America overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay. The sturdy architectural treasure greets the high tides of the great Bay of Fundy as it faces Campobello Island, Canada, and welcomes the nation's first sunrise to Eastport, Maine's smallest city. An industrial landmark, the building is famous for its role in innovating the ''roll-top can,'' which became the gold standard for use in the worldwide sardine industry. The 1908 American Can Company building comprises .69 of the 1.3 acres & 535 feet of water frontage for sale. The property is one of 31 buildings in the Eastport Historic District. Erected by the Seacoast Canning Company in 1908, when the company was the largest in the industry, the structure includes 20-inch thick brick walls, rough-cut granite window sills, and a heavy timber structural system signaling a sense of prosperity and permanence. Purchased by current owners in 2005, the entire property consists of 4 lots/5 parcels. The only remaining structure on the land is the 30,000 square-foot vacant factory. The historic gem was named one of the state's 'most endangered historic places' by Maine Preservation in 2022. The basement & first floors both are concrete; the second has wooden flooring. The building has a concrete pier jutting into Passamaquoddy Bay. The pier is supported by 139 concrete pilings. The property is served by electricity, public water & sewer. Phase I & II environmental assessments and estimates for stabilization, repair, and adaptive reuse are available. Revitalization plans, named the Lantern on the Pier, include architectural drawings allowing for retail, conference, hotel & apartment spaces. In 2011, The Maine Department of Tourism awarded it's Director's Award to the sellers, citing them for 'being the spark that ignited the economic revival of downtown Eastport.'' Come join in the ascendency of this exquisite part of Downeast Maine.
