The MainStreet America Fund is proud to announce that the Unity Food Hub, located in Unity, Maine, has officially been ‘Placed Into Service’!

The MainStreet America Fund, a Federal Historic Tax Credit investor, partnered with the Maine Farmland Trust on this new food distribution center, which will assist farmers and increase access to local foods by providing a central location for produce from around the state to be aggregated and sold to institutions and individuals.

The Unity Food Hub is located in a former grammar school, constructed in 1898 in the Late Victorian and Classical Revival styles.  The building has been beautifully restored and features hardwood floors, vertical beadboard wainscoting, and even the original chalkboards.

The MainStreet America Fund worked seamlessly with the Maine Farmland Trust to close their deal under a very quick deadline:

“We’re so pleased with the enthusiasm with which Michael Chesler embraced our comparatively small project, and the aplomb with which the MAF team was able to get us to the finish line. Historic preservation is an ambitious undertaking for a small non-profit entity and we were in a time-crunch.  The preservation work was nearly complete, farm produce was ready, and we really needed to have the Food Hub up and running in short order.  Could we close the transaction in a month’s time? Undaunted, the MAF team hit the ground running.  They were right there with us, evaluating the issues and working through legal intricacies, with very quick turnarounds.  Thanks to the professionalism and expertise of their team, we did it!”

LouAnna Perkins, General Counsel
Maine Farmland Trust

The MainStreet America Fund is a Federal Historic Tax Credit investor specializing in projects with under $15 million in total development costs.  The MainStreet America Fund maximizes the equity retained in each project and works closely with the development team through the closing process to close each transaction quickly.  Visit our website at www.mainstreetamericafund.com for additional information or contact Daniel Budish at dbudish@mainstreetamericafund.com to inquire about working with MainStreet America Fund on your next historic development project.

The Maine Farmland Trust is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to securing a future for farming in Maine by protecting farmland, supporting farmers, and advancing farming.  More information about the Trust can be found on their website: www.mainefarmlandtrust.org.

Before and after photos: