Brunswick is moving forward with a plan that aims to turn the hollowed out Cook’s Corner shopping area into a more vibrant and walkable neighborhood. In time, town officials hope the effort will ease traffic congestion while meeting the region’s housing needs and complementing other nearby developments.
The town council is expected to hold a public hearing later this month on new design standards for Cook’s Corner that were drafted in response to a revitalization plan written for the area in 2022. At the same time, local officials are promoting economic development programs that are available there.
Cook’s Corner, which is situated between downtown Brunswick and the city of Bath, has declined as a shopping area in recent years, with a vacant movie theater, a half-empty strip mall and just a few remaining businesses, including a Hannaford and an Applebee’s. While there is projected to be even less demand for big retail spaces in that area going forward, Bath Road, which runs through the area, is frequently congested with cars.
Recognizing those trends, Brunswick’s goal is to revitalize Cook’s Corner with more mixed-use buildings, housing and pedestrian-friendly walkways.
It’s similar to efforts that other towns and cities have undertaken. In Bangor, city officials have looked to encourage non-traditional uses, housing and pedestrian infrastructure around the increasingly empty mall.
In Cook’s Corner, part of the effort includes new, proposed design standards that would prioritize buildings with street frontage, space for both businesses and residences, and better access to walking and biking paths. Eventually, the town hopes to incorporate those standards into the zoning code, so that future projects must follow them.
But those new standards are only part of the overall goal, said Sally Costello, economic development director for Brunswick. The town is also working to attract more affordable housing and develop safer, more efficient roads. Any improvements would complement the housing and business development that’s happened nearby in the Brunswick Landing section of the former naval air station.
“We want to encourage more public-private partnerships. That’s what we’re really working on,” Costello said.
To bring businesses in, an advisory committee for the Cook’s Corner revitalization is working to spread the word about tax incentives meant to promote economic development, including tax increment financing and Opportunity Zones. The town has also provided funding to expand the Brunswick Downtown Association into the Cook’s Corner area, Costello said.
If Cook’s Corner can be made into a more attractive, pedestrian-friendly area, the hope is that it would eventually lure new types of businesses. That area is already seeing more housing developments, including one for asylum seekers in Brunswick Landing that has garnered recent attention and criticism.
Costello said there isn’t a set timeline for the changes, but the redevelopment of Cook’s Corner is going to take time and money.
The town council was set to vote Monday night on whether to hold a public hearing on Feb. 20 for the new design standards, a week after the planning board is scheduled to take it up. If the standards are adopted, some of their more successful elements could be applied in other parts of Brunswick, according to Costello.
“It will not be a plan that sits on the shelf,” she said.
