Since International Paper stopped operations there in the early 1990s, the Strathmore Paper mill, sitting on an island between the Connecticut River and the Power Canal, has stood as a symbol of the past and hope for the future.
Different owners with different backgrounds and different strategies for breathing new life into the mill complex have come and gone. Missteps and failures during this time have forced Montague to take a proactive approach in safeguarding its interests here. The bottom line here is that Montague has never given up on thinking that there could be a new chapter for the Strathmore, beyond tearing down the complex and cleaning up the site.
This long-held hope may now be fulfilled. Montague has a proposal from a local developer to renovate one of the 10 buildings for mixed-use: apartments on the upper floors and offices and businesses on the ground floor. Unlike with past proposals, there are reasons to think this plan has true potential, for a number of reasons.
The developer is Robert Obear, whose construction company is renovating the Powers Block in the village of Millers Falls. As a Montague resident, he understands the mill’s history, the desire of the community to see the Strathmore take on new life and obstacles facing any renovation and restoration.
And the biggest obstacle is financial.
Perhaps that’s why Obear was the only developer replying to the latest round of requests for proposals. As he said in his pitch, “It’s a big project. It’s a big building. It’s going to take a lot of money.” Obear envisions an investment of $2.25 million, which signals that he knows the parameters and wants to do it right.
If he thinks it will take $2.25 million to do just one building, then the entire complex would require many more millions. Limiting the initial scope makes sense, especially in that other buildings have deteriorated to where some are beyond saving.
Obviously there are plenty more pieces to fall into place, including the funding. But Obear’s plan holds promise. It could serve as a model for reuse of some of the other Strathmore buildings. “It is a way to prove that redevelopment is feasible,” Montague Planner Walter Ramsey said. “It should pave the way for future investment.”
And we hope it will prove Montague has been right to not give up on the Strathmore.