Portland, Maine — Nonprofit organization Avesta Housing will host a grand opening celebration of its
recently developed affordable apartments, Carleton Street Apartments, in Portland, Maine on Wednesday,
June 27 at 2:00 p.m. Speakers for the grand opening include: Portland City Mayor Ethan Strimling, Portland
City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau, West End Neighborhood Association President Liz Parsons, and Avesta
Housing Board of Directors Chair Gail McBride. The program will also include apartment tours.
Avesta Housing developed non-age-restricted Carleton Street Apartments, which has 37 efficiency, one- and
two-bedroom apartments targeted to households at or below 40-60% of the area median income. Located
in Portland’s West End, the building is inspired by the historical architecture and vibrant urban
neighborhood. Avesta Housing President & CEO Dana Totman remarks, “Carleton Street Apartments is an
example of an urban infill project built on an underutilized parking lot. The development fits seamlessly into
the historic West End while also adding diversity to the neighborhood.” Carleton Street Apartments was
built behind Avesta’s senior apartments in the old Butler School. Between the two properties, Avesta has
invested over $12,000,000 to rehabilitate and build affordable housing in just one block of the West End.
Carleton Street Apartments was designed by Archetype Architects of Portland and built by Benchmark
Construction of Westbrook.
Avesta Housing will also present its 2017 Mike Yandell Award for extraordinary work in the field of
affordable housing to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston during the grand opening ceremony. The
award is named for the late Mike Yandell, a former Avesta Housing board chair and the former president
of Gorham Savings Bank, who is remembered for his commitment to improving the community. Dana
Totman will present the award to Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston President & CEO Ed Hjerpe.
Recent past honorees of the Mike Yandell Award
2016 Portland Housing Authority
2015 Portland Press Herald
2014 Jess Maurer, Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging
2013 John Ryan, Wright Ryan Construction
Carleton Street Apartments Grand Opening
17 Carleton Street, Portland, Maine
SCHEDULE
2:00 p.m. Grand opening begins
2:15 p.m. Program
2:45 p.m. Apartment tours
About Avesta Housing
Avesta Housing is a nonprofit affordable housing provider with over 40 years of experience as a leader in affordable housing development and property management in southern Maine and New Hampshire. The organization is headquartered in Portland, Maine and currently has more than 80 properties and 2,400 apartments in its portfolio. Avesta’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need. Its five areas of focus are advocacy, development, property management, senior and assisted living, and home ownership. www.AvestaHousing.org
