director of Avesta Housing's homeownership center stands outside Avesta's Cumberland Ave The students in Nicole DiGeronimo’s first-time homebuyer classes are increasingly older with a little more money saved up “These are people that probably never anticipated it would be so difficult to purchase a home,” DiGeronimo who directs Avesta Housing’s homeownership center often aged between 30 and 40 and making well over their area’s median income represent the “missing middle.” They earn too much to live in income-restricted rental housing but can’t compete in the real estate market that has been overheated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic It has inspired a change in strategy for Avesta the Portland-based nonprofit group that is also northern New England’s biggest affordable housing provider which will begin creating homeownership options geared toward middle-income earners Avesta is in touch with towns as far away as Machias about offering condos and other properties for sale The group has dipped its toes into homeownership before with two condo projects it built in the 1990s and in 2012 But this launch of two formal programs marks a major shift dubbed “A Path Forward,” will rehabilitate and then resell blighted single-family homes around Maine to first-time buyers at a below-market price of $210,000 “Domus,” will construct conventionally financed buildings of small one-bedroom condos in southern Maine to be sold at $285,000 a unit “Federal uncertainty makes this a good time to diversify Avesta’s portfolio,” said Jeff Levine an MIT Professor and former Portland city planner “The middle-income market is clearly experiencing stress in Maine so it’s also a good area in which to develop new programs and products There is a business reason behind the programs Avesta needs to diversify its revenue as the tax credits that power its core business of low-income housing have grown costlier and more competitive It also needs to find alternatives to subsidy-reliant housing due to uncertainty around federal funding in the era of President Donald Trump Both of these new programs are designed to be self-sustaining The revenue from home sales will be used to build and rehabilitate more properties they could eventually help fund other aspects of the organization “A conventional-finance building like Domus can close faster And that matters: time is money,” Avesta’s interim CEO which is nearing final planning board approval for its first 45-unit building in Westbrook works because each condo is only 500 square feet Some are sold at a market rate to subsidize the rest “That’s the only way we can do it,” Portland-based developer Jack Soley who partnered with Avesta and Hebert Construction on this program “A 1,000-square-foot unit costs well over $300,000 today just to build it not including all the soft costs and architecture costs and land costs and bank costs and everything else.” but Soley said their affordability to middle-income earners will be “naturally occurring” because they are small and will not attract luxury homeowners will have some deed restrictions in place so that homebuyers can’t flip properties But DiGeronimo said there will be a percentage-based maximum sales price formula that will ensure homeowners can build equity when they sell “They’re getting a house at a rate that they never would be able to get and they still are able to get equity out of it It is still an investment for them,” DiGeronimo said in response to concerns that deed restricted properties may not be as attractive Domus is focused on southern Maine right now but A Path Forward could have a broader reach is looking to function like a land bank and partner with any municipality with blighted housing stock it’s looking to transform but Boucher said it would likely be a one-off “Our current geographic footprint: southern sort of western Maine and New Hampshire is probably where our sweet spot is right now,” he said Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542153 855981973 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page “We are hoping to start construction in early 2026 and finish in early 2027,” Harmon said during a recent interview Avesta’s mission is to “improve lives and strengthen communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need,” according to its website The organization is involved in real estate development offers counseling on homeownership and finances and connects people with apartments in which to live the project will involve the construction of two new buildings to be built on land next to the Kennebunk Savings headquarters at 7 Alewive Road the units will be eligible for senior citizens More: Kennebunkport home with view of Walker's Point sells for record $12 million In 2023, Kennebunk Savings announced its donation of the land for the construction of the two buildings the bank contributed $550,000 to assist Avesta in financing the construction The Planning Board approved Avesta’s application for the project during a meeting on Jan exactly one week after providing its preliminary approval Voters approved a contract zone for the project in 2024 allowing the current parcel to be split into two lots The first lot will contain the project in its entirety The second 12-acre lot was donated to the Kennebunk Land Trust to preserve as green space in perpetuity The overall project encompasses approximately 41 acres complete with access ways and parking areas is situated to the north of the project site while to the south there are a filled gravel pit and wetlands which fall under the town’s Shoreland Zone Nubble Lighthouse draw: York plans unveiled for major Sohier Park upgrades Construction will be completed during two phases and landscaping will be part of the project as the affordable housing development firm owns and operates Park Street School Apartments Harmon said the lease process for the 72 units to be built on Alewive Road has not begun he added that anyone seeking a place to live is encouraged to visit the organization’s website and click the “Find an Apartment” tab on the upper right corner of the homepage Opening marks company's fourth center offering monitored ketamine care in the Washington COLUMBIA, Md., Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avesta Ketamine and Wellness (Avesta) the leading provider of monitored ketamine care in the Washington announced today the opening of its fourth ketamine clinic in the region the new center strengthens Avesta's commitment to providing transformative evidence based mental health and pain management care in safe It joins Avesta's existing clinics in NW Washington "Ketamine offers profound relief for people struggling with treatment-resistant depression "Too many people spend years cycling through medications and traditional therapies without improvement we can provide more people with rapid relief in a calm The new clinic will offer a range of ketamine therapy protocols Avesta works closely with patients' mental health providers to customize treatments for each person's needs Avesta's Columbia ketamine clinic increases access to life-changing treatment in Howard County where suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 15-19 and two in five adults regularly struggle with poor mental health according to the Howard County Health Department's December 2023 "Report Card of Community Health Indicators" "As part of Avesta's patient-first approach we are committed to making ketamine therapy more accessible to Columbia area residents while simplifying the insurance process," said Deborah Tan "We know that seeking ketamine therapy is a big decision so our team works diligently to ease financial barriers to treatment particularly for those who feel like they have run out of options collaborative and patient-first approach continues to raise DMV's standard for safe and effective healing." A professor emeritus at Georgetown University she has trained many of the region's top providers and helped set ketamine protocol standards in the DMV area Eshkevari's deep expertise ensures that Avesta's clinicians closely monitor infusions and coordinate with patients' providers to optimize results The team includes a board-certified anesthesiologist a team dedicated to helping patients with insurance For more information, visit www.avestaketaminewellness.com About Avesta Ketamine and Wellness Avesta Ketamine and Wellness is the longest-standing IV ketamine and Spravato™ provider in the DMV area It has administered over 10,000 ketamine infusions for depression Avesta draws from varied expertise in anesthesia and advanced practice nursing creating custom protocols with the highest safety standards Do not sell or share my personal information: You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security. I had walked past Avestan before and assumed it was the reception area of a subterranean spa or a tasteful small-plates restaurant that had gone bankrupt halfway through the fit-out I noticed grainy video footage being projected onto the walls while the room flickered with candlelight and when the Avestan shop finally opened in December 2019 selling 1 million bottles in its first year and enjoying swells in popularity each time an influencer shares the brand story as though they’ve just discovered Homer’s Odyssey and leaves Avestan feeling like a case that fans are trying to collectively solve For tourists ticking off the shop on their trip to London – a big chunk of the brand’s customer base – the £38 perfume is the grooming equivalent of a slice of pizza in Naples: cheap to buy but you have to pay for the privilege of getting there first Avestan withholding the perfume’s notes gives its wearers a choose-your-own-adventure making for some fun detective work in videos where people guess what they are smelling “I’m getting almost like a toasted rice scent “It reminds me of ceramics that have been fired and they’ve been put in the kiln but they’ve not been glazed with any paint yet So they’re incredibly dry and you can almost scratch off the dust,” says a very precise #PerfumeTok influencer it’s hard not to wonder if this image has come to him not from smelling the perfume but from knowing the scent was inspired by a trip Truaxe took to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco I took a bottle home and spritzed it all over my wrists just as perfume testers will tell you not to do if you want a neutral reading On my skin – which will have absorbed and rejected different molecules to the Avestan wearers online – there is a blast of sharp green that is somewhere between a gin and tonic and the synthetic alpine smell of a car air freshener I go back a few minutes later and it’s been replaced with the spicy The final drydown (the term in perfumery for how the scent smells when fully dried on the skin) leaves behind a peppery one blunt description lingers: “It smells like pesto.” even as it divides opinions for its strange mix of burnt sugar and rubbery plastic but the perfume’s secretive approach allows “a welcomed occasion to explore” for its wearers which sits inside a corrugated cardboard sleeve with white textured walls containing fragments of blue Moroccan tiles and a black box camera hanging from its strap on one wall On the wooden shelves beside display bottles are stacks of books including religious texts in Dutch and a copy of 1984 An employee tells me that at the height of the mania a few years ago security guards manned the doors at weekends It is the sort of aesthetic (“disused Victorian factory meets orangerie” according to one Reddit user) that feels staged for Instagram and perhaps to underscore the temptation to show it off Avestan’s official policy is that no photography or recording is allowed That technically isn’t enforced, say Lizi Aston and Shahin Golshahr, who work in the marketing department for Deciem, the parent company of both Avestan and skincare brand The Ordinary In early January I meet them around the corner from the shop They tell me that everything inside was personally selected by Truaxe himself and that the store has been left as he last used it in tribute “Any perfume worth its salt is like a musical line It starts one way and then develops and goes somewhere else.” In November, Avestan opened a pop-up in New York’s SoHo this time selling a different scent that Truaxe had worked on: Svalbard who is wearing the Svalbard perfume oil in his beard says it’s a more Arctic scent – inspired by the Global Seed Vault in Norway which serves as the world’s largest backup of crops in case of a worldwide disaster A permanent Svalbard store in New York will open this year but other expansions will be done purely on the basis of vibes and whether they’re in line with what Truaxe might have felt was right His commitment to transparent pricing (the strategy that made The Ordinary such a hit) will not change any time soon – a sales assistant tells me their initial hope was merely to break even Golshahr applied to work at The Ordinary because of Truaxe He recalls walking with him to the Beak Street store one day and Truaxe talking about his mother being from Isfahan the same part of Iran that Golshahr’s mother came from “People really connect it to a distant memory in their head,” Golshahr says of Avestan “It reminds me of a saffron rice pudding from Iran I’m always wondering: was Brandon thinking about this when he created this scent?” While Avestan has made the idea of an exotic all good perfumes are designed as a journey The top notes are the molecules that evaporate fastest giving way to middle notes that linger a little longer A lot of perfumes are top-loaded with citrus while base notes are more enduring smells like musks and woods Avestan – named for the ancient language of the Iranian religion Zoroastrianism – came into being on the back of Truaxe’s travels. In his writing about the perfume, he references “coated clay vats filled with argan oil earthy walls of a typical village abode and the mud that had formed on my bare feet having crossed the river that bordered the township of Asni in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains.” with heady frankincense top notes that give way to the smell of cold stone floors “The Avestan one is very linear in the sense that it doesn’t really develop,” he tells me describing a journey that feels cut short before you expect it to end I meet Professor Barry Smith at the University of London Smith founded the Centre for the Study of the Senses here 15 years ago; his interest in fragrance began when he discovered a theory that says there are somewhere between 22 and 33 senses (not merely five) and also that they are all more interlinked than we might believe and sees the same terror in people’s faces when asked to describe the taste of Malbec as when reacting to a vetiver perfume because smells are actually learned in the context of having the thing in front of you,” Smith says in a lilting Scottish accent you name the thing that caused the smell – orange You say ‘fragrant’ or ‘putrid’ or ‘musty’.” The fear we have of being asked to identify smells – and the ways in which leading words like “herbaceous”, “grassy” and “wild” can hijack our imagination – means Smith approves of Avestan’s mysterious approach. He sprays some onto a cardboard strip and we stand in a circle with some colleagues who have come to lend their noses. As a group, we come up with thyme, rosemary “Any perfume worth its salt is like a musical line,” Smith says “It starts one way and then develops and goes somewhere else It sort of grows.” I take one slow inhalation and the alpine notes at the start drop into the burnt wood of a sauna It’s a mixture of sensations that would be easier to paint in dark greens and rusted brown than to say out loud the precise names of what I’m smelling stuck on what Smith tells me is called “the tip of the nose” There is an off smell in Avestan that for Smith was Play-Doh-like and for perfume reviewer Rothschild was the unnatural smell of concrete This chimes with the broader trend for funkiness as scents that have something odd about them are increasingly popular on the niche fragrance scene (The eccentric perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri has a divisive scent called Nasomatto Sadonaso which is said to smell like genital sweat and a public urinal.) But this dark fascination may in fact be wired in us Smith tells me that in the white flower jasmine there is a low percentage of the compound indole large amounts of which smell rotting and putrid Perfumers can make artificial jasmine without indole people will always pick the jasmine with the indole whiffy note actually provides a contrast with the good thing,” he says “It’s as if there has to be a little pain with your pleasure.” unpretentious and unknowable – and therein lies the mystery Molecule’s 01’s intoxicating promise – that a perfume could make you smell like the most “you” version of yourself – is part of how Avestan is sold to me by the store employees who has bought a bottle of Avestan for her boyfriend It was Avestan’s seeming singularity that pulled her into the brand “I don’t know anyone who wears the perfume but on Little Red Book there’s a lot of people saying it’s really unique,” she says “Usually I’ll look for brands that are not too well-known.” On our call, Badard holds a testing strip laced with Avestan under his nose and sniffs. “The notes are really interesting, but it’s not very complex,” he says. “For me the story unfolds very quickly.” Badard (a “nose”, as they are called in the perfume world), gets thyme and rosemary, which evaporate very quickly, replaced by spicy black pepper, and then an ambery vanilla that nobody else has yet mentioned. A version of this story originally appeared in the April 2025 issue of GQ with the title “The Strange Case of Avestan, the Cult Scent Whose Secret Died With its Creator” Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542168 856191521 You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542171 856242659 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542171 856243607 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542172 856246286 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542174 856274726 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542177 856319472 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542178 856346810 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542181 856385946 The usage of criminals and wider organized crime groups by Moscow is nothing new. The 2007 cyber attacks against Estonia were organized by proxy groups associated with Putin’s administration The Kremlin’s tight bond with the criminal world far from being a series of isolated incidents represents a deeply entrenched system of cooperation with multiple benefits for Moscow this collaboration is born out of mutual necessity criminal networks offer a ready-made infrastructure capable of executing covert operations with a degree of deniability that conventional state agencies can seldom match.  These groups, with their financial resources and networks established across Russia and the West, have become indispensable tools for advancing Russian interests abroad. In return, they gain protection and legitimacy from being intertwined with state power — patronage that enables them to thrive despite the risks inherent in their work By developing this relationship, the Kremlin blurs the line between statecraft and criminal enterprise. Moscow’s reliance on these groups means that criminal actions are state-sanctioned even if they never bear the official stamp of government involvement This strategic ambiguity not only protects Russian leadership from direct accountability but also allows them to pursue objectives that might otherwise be off-limits under international law This agreement thus reinforces a powerful cycle where criminal ingenuity meets state ambition ultimately serving as a potent combination for projecting power and influence on the global stage A significant perk of this cooperation lies in the financial channels it opens up. Organized criminal organizations are infamous for moving large sums of money across borders and laundering funds These activities provide the Kremlin with access to so-called black cash that fuels various state operations This funding mechanism allows Russia to bypass the conventional financial scrutiny imposed by international bodies and sanctions thereby sustaining its strategic initiatives even under economic pressure Not to mention how the operational expertise of these criminal networks has been utilized to support a range of clandestine activities. Beyond cyberattacks and assassinations, their skill set extends to information warfare smuggling and even manipulating political processes in foreign states It is difficult for state bureaucracies to act with such efficiency and ruthlessness particularly in environments where the Kremlin wishes to avoid overt military or diplomatic engagement.  there have been indications that Russian-linked groups have employed a mix of financial coercion and behind-the-scenes lobbying to sway local politicians ensuring that governments remain either sympathetic to Moscow’s agenda or too divided to counteract it effectively by embedding criminal operatives within these operations Russia not only enhances its capabilities but also insulates itself from direct repercussions Lithuanian prosecutors linked the May 2024 arson attack on an IKEA store in Vilnius to the GRU The attack was allegedly designed to intimidate Lithuania away from supporting Ukraine and involved intermediaries — criminals as opposed to official GRU agents — that provided the necessary cover for such a high-risk operation This incident explicitly demonstrates how criminal elements are mobilized for specific It serves as a stark reminder that while the true power of this alliance lies in its long-term systemic benefits the occasional high-profile sabotage remains part of the Kremlin’s diverse strategies.  the relationship between the Kremlin and organized crime is not simply a series of sporadic encounters strategic partnership that enhances Russia’s operational capabilities on multiple fronts Through an agreement between state power and criminal enterprise the Kremlin gains access to a pool of financial operational and political resources that would be difficult to secure through traditional state mechanisms alone This intricate cooperation demonstrates a critical and unsettling aspect of modern geopolitics: the criminal underworld has transformed into an extension of state power It is a model that allows Russia to maintain a semblance of plausible deniability while engaging in activities that challenge the very foundations of international law and order.  As the global community grapples with the ramifications of this alliance it is clear that it is essential for both policymakers and security experts seeking to counter its influence the understand this relationship The line between legitimate statecraft and criminal enterprise is becoming more vague creating challenges that extend well beyond the realm of traditional security concerns Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542189 856493997 CBS13 and FOX23's annual Shred-A-Thon is Friday 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at our studios at 81 Northport Drive in Portland. New affordable housing option for older Mainers opens in Scarboroughby WGME Staff SCARBOROUGH (WGME) -- There are some new affordable housing options for older folks in southern Maine Avesta Housing celebrated the grand opening of 31 new affordable homes in Scarborough The development called Village Commons is for people ages 55 and up Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542204 856716926 AVESTANThe world's most mysterious fragrance brand has landed in New York City AVESTAN, a perfume project started by the late Deciem co-founder Brandon Truaxe, is notoriously elusive available only at a small store in London's Soho neighborhood as well as a second store in New York City the brand quietly set up shop in Nolita (an area already known for its preponderance of perfume boutiques) where customers can experience its latest fragrance: Svalbard The scent is inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault a small repository on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen that conserves duplicates of seeds from around the world AVESTAN1 / 2AVESTAN refrains from disclosing specific notes and ingredients in its two fragrances "This allows for a more personal exploration of the scent," a representative says adding that Svalbard "borrows aromas from the seeds AVESTAN's New York location is just as austere as its London outpost The fragrance will not be sold in London; the brand wants its two stores — which don't allow customers to film or photograph — to represent a unique olfactive experience AVESTAN's pared-back approach is the making of Truaxe, who co-founded beauty company Deciem (best known as the owner of The Ordinary) in 2013 Truaxe had created several unreleased fragrances that he planned to sell via AVESTAN whose London store he'd begun designing Deciem decided to complete Truaxe's unfinished work and forge ahead with the store both locations serve as a tribute to the founder Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.Enable All MediaManage consentPrivacy policyTruaxe's touch permeates the entire brand. AVESTAN's website spotlights a letter — a brand manifesto of sorts — that Truaxe wrote before his death. "I had often been told by masters of the field that aromas reconnect us with our past experiences," it reads. "[Avestan] is a journey to create new meaning through scents. It is a departure from lavender and rose to an unfulfilled journey of unfamiliar notes: clays, stems, saps, places and moments." South (South Korea)LatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMalaysiaMaltaMexicoNetherlands (Holland)PolandPortugalPuerto RicoRomaniaSingaporeSlovak RepublicSloveniaSouth AfricaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesLocationWeb Accessibility StatementTitel Media GmbH (Highsnobiety) is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website Titel Media GmbH strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology remediates and maintains the Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com If you do encounter an accessibility issue please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you PORTSMOUTH — The Preservation of Affordable Housing received the top score from city staff for its proposal to redevelop the former Sherburne School site putting the Boston firm at the top of the list The eight members of the Selection Committee ranked the four potential city partners on a variety of criteria ranging from site and building design to financial feasibility and community engagement The finalists submitted their responses to the city’s request for proposals to partner with Portsmouth to redevelop the 5.3-acre city-owned site The finalists were instructed to submit different redevelopment proposals for the property at 35 Sherburne Road one that keeps the former elementary school intact and a second plan that would demolish it The former elementary school site is now vacant which moved to Community Campus for the 2024-25 school year The redevelopment plans submitted by the four finalists proposed a variety of total housing units on site ranging from a high of 113 by Avesta – both with a partial and total demolition – and a low of 65 by Pennrose according to a summary prepared by the Selection Committee The committee concluded “more units of housing can be constructed if the school building can be demolished.” The former Sherburne School building was built in 1930 and is approximately 18,000 square feet "Regarding the spectrum of income levels served the proposals by POAH and Pennrose stood out," the committee stated The committee also reported “both Pennrose and PHA identified that a financial contribution from the city would be needed if the school building were to be reused POAH appeared to be able to finance the project in such a manner to allow for the school structure to be reused without financial contribution." Portsmouth officials released all four proposals after Seacoastonline and the Portsmouth Herald filed a Right to Know request with the city Preservation of Affordable Housing's plansPOAH which submitted two plans to preserve the school building proposes to “create a fully below-market-rate housing community with an emphasis on family focused apartments and income diversity.” “We propose a community that is approximately 60 percent two- and three-bedroom apartments while also creating a substantial number of accessible one-bedroom apartments for seniors and small households,” POAH wrote in its submission to the city POAH stated it would “use the site efficiently by siting three-story buildings on the lower ground and two-story buildings at the middle and front of the site to match the neighborhood’s scale.” The proposal includes the development of a “site plan that offers ample open space and amenities for both residents and the wider community.” Those options could include "a nature-based playground and splash pad to the preservation of the gym as a teen center Its Scenario 1A calls for removing the former school’s gym and converting the space “into an outdoor courtyard,” POAH stated That redevelopment plans calls for the creation of 82 units according to their submission and the Selection Committee POAH's Scenario 1B is the same as 1A "except the gym space is preserved and adapted to a community use such as a teen center or childcare facility This reduces the amount of housing in the school by two apartments increases cost because the gym space must be adapted and modernized and requires additional financing sources to fund the gym conversion." 39 two-bedroom units and eight three-bedroom units POAH’s Scenario 2 proposes the removal of the existing school building to create a total of 93 units 54 two-bedroom units and seven three-bedroom units which placed second in the Selection Committee’s review also proposed two different scenarios that involve preserving the existing school building Scenarios 1 and 1A are “quite similar,” according to PHA submission but option 1 “provides for the new construction of a 4-story 71-unit building” that’s “100 percent affordable.” The existing school building under Scenario I will be “mothballed for future reuse,” according to PHA The 71 units in Scenario 1 will be comprised of 23 one-bedroom units 32 two-bedroom units and 16 three-bedroom units PHA’s Scenario 1A proposes “the adaptive reuse of a portion of the former school as affordable live/work space for artists,” which would have eight units Scenario 1A also features the construction of a “new three-story walkup building,” with 29 units which will be “formed around an interior courtyard serving both buildings,” PHA stated 40 two-bedroom units and 28 three bedroom units PHA explained Scenario 1 would be built “in a single phase,” but Scenario 1A “could be developed in one or two phases.” which includes the demolition of the existing school building planned to run “along the frontage of Sherburne,” according to PHA bringing the total in the two buildings to 100 a second 29-unit … building could be added to the rear of the school which would raise the housing count to 129 units," according to PHA PHA officials stated "we would prefer not to offer that more dense development option until we have the chance to discuss it with Portsmouth stakeholders." All of the proposed options “envision community outdoor space a community garden and recreation space,” PHA stated Pennrose states in its submission that both of its proposed developments one preserving the school and one demolishing it — "are financially viable" and "designed to mimic and complement the neighborhood." Penrose states its two plans would create “65-77 mixed income rental units,” with “unit sizes from one- to three-bedrooms that will serve Portsmouth residents in different life stages.” both scenarios place a special emphasis on two- and three-bedroom units to address the city’s need for housing that accommodates larger households,” Pennrose stated in its submission Scenario 1 in Penrose’s submission proposes “the adaptive reuse of the front section and wings of the (school) building to include seven one-bedroom apartments will be repurposed into an outdoor community space for residents in the school building and the rest of the property,” Pennrose stated Scenario 1 features “a village style development with 65 units across nine residential buildings including the existing school integrated with localized green spaces around the site.” also proposes “a village style development” but with 77 units “across eleven residential buildings and a community center building.” Avesta Housing's planAvesta Housing’s submission also proposes two development scenarios which calls for the demolition of the former elementary school Avesta proposes Building A – which would be “age restricted” for people 55 or older That building would “mimic design elements from the original Sherburne School,” Avesta stated The scenario also calls for the creation of two other buildings and dedicated green space picnic area with tables and a covered structure and an open area for soccer or other organized activities.” according to the Selection Committee’s review Scenario B – which keeps most of the school building – “also proposes three separate residential buildings behind the School,” along with community space What’s next for housing project at Sherburne School siteThe Portsmouth City Council and Housing Committee are scheduled to have a joint work session on Nov city staff “will briefly review the process to date and summarize the results of their review of the proposals,” according to Deputy City Attorney Suzanne Woodland “The consensus of the selection committee was that the proposals contained sufficient information upon which the City Council could select a preferred candidate,” Woodland wrote in a memo to City Manager Karen Conard Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542215 856884094 PORTLAND (WGME) -- Avesta Housing showed off 60 new affordable units in Portland's St The downtown development is Porter Station and is currently full This is the latest affordable housing project from Avesta and the 60-units cost $22 million to build It's the former site of the historic Union Station on Valley St. which was demolished in 1961 and became a strip mall Apartments in the five-story building range in size from efficiencies to three-bedroom units Avesta says residents enjoy a community room Rents are based on applicant income and whether they have a housing voucher by Brad Rogers SOUTH PORTLAND (WGME) -- People living in a South Portland apartment building are steaming but also because of a rule change regarding window air conditioners "We've always had them and they never told us before that we couldn't have them," longtime Brick Hill Heights resident Adrian Dowling said He says the new air conditioning policy has tenants of Brick Hill Heights in a panic "They're saying that from now on We are only allowed to have portable air conditioners," Dowling said "They say it's a safety and liability concern." "Why are they all of a sudden worried now when there's never been an accident where one fell out?" longtime resident Anthony Nizza said Nizza and Dowling can't understand why Avesta Housing has singled out this one apartment building to ban window air conditioners right before our first round of heat in Maine "They could not have chosen a worse time to do this," Dowling said because to go without air conditioning in these apartments you literally wouldn't be able to stay here," Nizza said Residents say what Avesta should worry about is people suffering from heat stroke It can get up to 90 degrees in here without an AC," Nizza said "It was already 81 degrees in my apartment two weeks ago when it was 63 degrees outside These apartments get extremely hot," Dowling said Nizza's new window unit just sits in his apartment "Now it's just sitting in the box and I don't know what to do," Nizza said Avesta adjusted its policy after hearing complaints Window units will be allowed this summer only but brackets must be installed to prevent accidents tenants must switch to more expensive portable ACs "And then your electricity bill to operate it every year is going to be at least double what you were paying to operate a window unit," Dowling said He says if Avesta is going to install brackets to make sure air conditioners don't fall out of the windows they might as well keep them for next year which has been attracting investments in battery factories is in talks on a project worth up to EUR 360 million 0 The project would create 500 well-paid jobs, he claimed. Turning to the country’s model for foreign investments, Mickoski said it is changing It won’t be dramatically different than until now but the point is to diversify into segments with high added value The current way of attracting foreign investments is exhausting its potential and it reached its peak Avesta, formerly Avesta Battery and Energy Engineering – ABEE, laid the cornerstone last month for a factory that would manufacture batteries for electric cars. The site is in Kičevo, in the local technological-industrial development zone (TIDZ or The Belgian company said it is investing EUR 10 million in the first phase It expects to employ 120 people and eventually grow the number to 600 The government added that exports would amount to EUR 50 million. It expects the sum to increase tenfold within seven years. Avesta launched battery manufacturing projects in 2023 in neighboring Bulgaria as well as in Romania. Hydrogen Utopia International (HUI) from the United Kingdom signed a deal with new North Macedonian firm TF Capital The goal is to build a facility for the production of hydrogen from waste plastics studies and a market entry strategy and business plan the local partner will also look into the possibility of obtaining subsidies The British company agreed to pay EUR 5,000 per month to TF Capital The arrangement will last 18 months or until obtaining a construction permit TF Capital is entitled to a 5% share in the joint venture Hydrogen Utopia said it is developing projects for converting non-recyclable waste plastic into hydrogen syngas and other carbon-free fuels and products as well as for the production of heat from renewable sources BMZ Group from Germany broke ground on a EUR 65 million lithium ion battery factory in TIDZ Skopje The company targets at least EUR 60 million in total exports in the first three years The plant is expected to employ 700 people In a recent interview, North Macedonia’s Minister of Energy, Mining and Minerals Sanja Božinovska said projects are under development for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped storage hydropower plants The aim is to increase grid stability and flexibility Of note, a year ago the former government annulled a tender in which Greece-based Public Power Corp. (PPC) and Archirodon were selected for the Čebren pumped storage hydroelectric project Božinovska said the ministry is investing more than EUR 26.4 million in power substations in Valandovo and Miletkovo It will enable grid access to projects for 1.17 GW from renewable energy sources Be the first one to comment on this article 05 May 2025 - The delegations from the two countries met on the sidelines of the 10th summit meeting of the Three Seas Initiative 05 May 2025 - The Trebinje 3 photovoltaic plant would have an installed capacity of 53.63 MW and an estimated annual production of 85.5 GWh 05 May 2025 - VDE Renewables found that SolarEdge’s advanced safety capabilities minimize photovoltaic system risks and effectively prevent fire hazards 02 May 2025 - The project is located in Constanța county recognized for its superior yields in green energy production © CENTER FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008-2020 website developed by ogitive Details: cache-fra-eddf8230069-FRA 1746542222 856975546 Funds will help expand staffing capacity to provide resources for affordable housing residents PORTLAND, Maine, January 26, 2024 /CSRwire/ – Avesta Housing has received a four-year, $400,000 grant commitment from KeyBank Foundation to enhance services provided to residents in Avesta’s affordable housing properties The funding will be used to expand resident staffing capacity to ensure all residents within Avesta’s housing organization have access to services and meals that they need to be successful in their homes Services include access to healthcare programs Facilitating these connections removes barriers and helps build economic well-being and power creates homebuying and wealth generation opportunities and helps weave a future for individuals and families previously challenged by homelessness “It has been well-reported that there is a critical need for safe It is equally as important that households achieve long-term stability and success once housing has been secured,” said Avesta Housing President & CEO Rebecca Hatfield “This generous gift from KeyBank will go a long way toward providing us with the means to connect our residents with the support services to create immediate positive impact in their lives Avesta’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities by providing and promoting affordable quality homes for people in need and help residents access other needed services that help them maintain their permanent housing Avesta is one of the country’s most innovative and respected leaders in affordable housing and the largest organization of its kind in northern New England They currently own and manage a portfolio of more than 100 properties with more than 3,000 apartments and 4,600 rental residents Avesta provides homebuyer educations classes and foreclosure prevention assistance to 1,200 people each year “KeyBank joins Avesta in the belief that everyone in our community should have safe and affordable housing we are committed to providing access to capital and support to neighborhoods and neighbors who have often faced unfair financial barriers,” said KeyBank’s Maine Market President “We are pleased to provide financial assistance to Avesta to enable them to expand resources to individuals and families to achieve stable KeyBank Foundation grants are part of a $40 billion commitment for lending and investments across Key’s national footprint established in 2017 and supporting affordable housing and community development projects and small business lending in low- and-moderate income communities and philanthropic efforts targeted toward education Avesta Housing: Rod Harmon, Communications Manager | 207-272-3986 | rharmon@avestahousing.org KeyBank: Karen Crane, Communications Manager | 203-789-2752 | karen_crane@keybank.com KeyBankKeyBankKeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30 More from KeyBank South Portland will soon be home to a 52-unit apartment building that will provide housing for asylum seeking families many of whom are currently staying in motels and shelters But some housing advocates say the new space is just a drop in the bucket Avesta Housing is overseeing construction of the new property which will be able to house over 100 people in apartments ranging in size from efficiencies to three bedrooms The building is part of an effort to move asylum seekers out of motels and shelters Avesta Housing's director of property management "So there is a preference in place for those who are currently experiencing homelessness or in temporary housing," she said "The majority of the [applicants] that we are seeing are currently housed either in the hotels or in shelters." Gilliam said Avesta received over 1000 applicants for the 52 units and that tenants will be selected via a lottery system She said Avesta is also looking into purchasing another property in Portland which could provide another 48 apartments for families who’ve arrived in Maine seeking asylum a Portland nonprofit that helps asylum seekers find housing said she’s happy to see more housing under construction But she said much more is needed to meet current demand "We have hundreds and hundreds of applicants for apartments Stein added that many of the asylum-seeking clients she works with are young families could represent the future of Maine’s workforce - if they are able to find stable housing