On July 12, Community Concepts celebrated the ribbon cutting for Gauvreau Place, a multi-story apartment building in Lewiston now providing 35 new homes for individuals and families. Community partners, developers, funders, and supporters joined us for the ceremony. The afternoon featured speeches by Governor Janet Mills, Director of MaineHousing Daniel Brennan, President and CEO of Avesta Housing Dana Totman, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, CCI’s Shawn Yardley, and Joanna Gauvreau.
“Gauvreau Place brings safe and affordable housing to our city and directly to our neighborhood at a time when it is desperately needed,” said Shawn Yardley, Special Assistant to the Community Concepts Board of Directors. “CCI is fortunate to have partnered with Avesta Housing on this project to help combat the housing crisis not only being felt here in Lewiston, but around the country.”
Gauvreau Place is named in honor of Paul Gauvreau, a CCI board member and well-known Lewiston attorney and state legislator who served for more than 20 years in the Office of Maine’s Attorney General. Paul passed away unexpectedly in 2020, but had a tremendous impact on our community and our state throughout his life. With Gauvreau Place, we will continue his dedication to public service and the region he loved.
“Paul was a man of great integrity and a dedicated public servant,” shared Yardley. “Community Concepts, the people of Lewiston, and the entire State of Maine benefited from his experience, his intelligence, and his passion to serve his community.”
Community Concepts partnered with developer Avesta Housing on this housing project, which began in 2018. Platz Associates and Hebert Construction also served as developers. The project was funded by MaineHousing, Evernorth, Norway Savings Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Community Housing Capital, the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, and the City of Lewiston.
In 2021, Community Concepts worked with the Gauvreau family to launch the Paul Gauvreau Legacy Fund, providing the organization flexibility to quickly respond to the changing needs of the community. Click here to learn more about Paul’s impact on our community and how you can support the Paul Gauvreau Legacy Fund today.