Turner St, Auburn (Portland, Lewiston, Bangor: apartment, crime rate, hotel)

[melinuxfool]

I used to go to that area quite frequently, I live in Searsport, but due to the price of gas, I hadn't been for quite a while. So anyway, I went down there recently after several years, my how that area has developed! Auburn seems to be an up-and-coming city.

After I made myself dizzy driving through the new rotaries, I got to hit some of the new stores in the area.

Anyway, what do Auburn residents think of all the changes?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by melinuxfool

I used to go to that area quite frequently, I live in Searsport, but due to the price of gas, I hadn't been for quite a while. So anyway, I went down there recently after several years, my how that area has developed! Auburn seems to be an up-and-coming city.

After I made myself dizzy driving through the new rotaries, I got to hit some of the new stores in the area.

Anyway, what do Auburn residents think of all the changes?

It really has grown a lot over the past 10 years or so. It's getting to be like South Portland. We shop there on occasion as it's about the same distance for us as driving to the Maine Mall, the scenery on the ride up is better. Plus we get to go to Roy's All Steak Hamburgers! Flycessna lives in that area and can better answer the question on how the development impacts folks in the area.

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by melinuxfool

I used to go to that area quite frequently, I live in Searsport, but due to the price of gas, I hadn't been for quite a while. So anyway, I went down there recently after several years, my how that area has developed! Auburn seems to be an up-and-coming city.

After I made myself dizzy driving through the new rotaries, I got to hit some of the new stores in the area.

Anyway, what do Auburn residents think of all the changes?

Not an L/A resident but spent alot of time up there. I would say the A of L/A is doing well from the perspective of big box store/chain/franchise economical developement. The folks across the river in Lewsiton are trying to get some things going as well and have seen some progress.

It seems it was only a few years ago when there was just an Ames out there on Turner St with the mall over on the other side. of course. Then when all the Ames stores closed it just sat there all boarded up for a couple of years. I don't think anyone could have perceived the incredible sprawl commercial development that went up in just 3 years.

I think Home Depot was the first thing, then BJ's, a super Walmart, a huge Lowes, a bunch of chain restaurants plus many of the other business sides that come along with it. Even a Starbucks. The Walmart seems to be always packed.

Downtown Auburn by the river has also been basically totally renovated. Lewiston being bigger is a tougher nut to crack but they are working on it. Totally cleaned up the southern part of the downtown and they have been tearing down some of the mills.

[juststoppinby]

Originally Posted by Maineah

It really has grown a lot over the past 10 years or so. It's getting to be like South Portland. We shop there on occasion as it's about the same distance for us as driving to the Maine Mall, the scenery on the ride up is better. Plus we get to go to Roy's All Steak Hamburgers! Flycessna lives in that area and can better answer the question on how the development impacts folks in the area.

Oh my God you just made my mouth water! I LOVE Roy's! I used to stop in there or the one on Rte 4. I was just down that way on Saturday and I never thought of it. Next time I am headed for Roys!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by sdstlouis

Oh my God you just made my mouth water! I LOVE Roy's! I used to stop in there or the one on Rte 4. I was just down that way on Saturday and I never thought of it. Next time I am headed for Roys!

We stopped at the one out by Lake Auburn last week on the motorcycle. It was the first time we have ever eaten at that one . We almost always eat at the other one on the corner of Minot ave. It was just as good! Excellent burgers and fries! And inexpensive too, loaded cheeseburgers only $1.90.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

Not an L/A resident but spent alot of time up there. I would say the A of L/A is doing well from the perspective of big box store/chain/franchise economical developement.

I live in Auburn and have lived in Lewiston. I love all the changes...I do not have to drive to Portland to find a decent place to eat or shop. As a matter of fact, I used to hate going to the Auburn Mall because I thought it was a little sleezy, but now I find it to be even a better atmosphere then Portlands though it still isn't as large with as many selections.

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

the folks across the river in Lewsiton are trying to get some things going as well and have seen some progress

.

Believe it or not....Lewiston has done "MUCH BETTER" than Auburn. Auburn has all of these box stores and restaurants that pay a little above minimum wage and were given huge tax breaks to come here....our taxes are outrages in Auburn. Lewiston on the other hand has brought in large "business's" with thousands of real paying jobs and real taxes. Example. Auburn has the super Walmart and Lewiston has the Walmart Distibution center. The Distribution center pays more in taxes and provides more & better paying jobs. Lewison also has more upscale restaurants.

but your right......they lack the retail the Auburn has....and the car dealerships. And Auburn is still more white collar and Lewiston more blue collar. Resident wise anyways

[MRVphotog]

Lewiston also got a LL Bean Call Center which is good but you have to admit that downtown Lewiston is still abit seedy but progress is going on. They really cleaned up the riverfront in Auburn with the new hotel and banks while Lewiston is working on it.

One of my tenants got a job at the new Longhorn Steakhouse in Auburn and was a dishwasher and was paid $10/hour and was treated pretty well so I guess I assumed some of the businesses out there are paying better than minimum wage. Remember the state's mw is higher than the fed's mw.

[flycessna]

Never judge a book by its cover. Downtown Lewiston will always "look" seedy....you have a lot of old apartment buildings and poor people who congregate in the area. Until the downtown area is leveled and office space built on top of it there will always be the element of welfare class people living there...it's ashame it's right in the center of town. Places like portland with has much more problems, have its seedy areas away from its doewn town where people shop ect. On a hot summer day Kennedy park or Lisbon streets can look real seedy. But the reality is, its only a handfull of young 16-25 year old boys that cause any problems...and its very rare. I guess because I have been around the country...it makes me laugh when I hear all the horror stories. I drive though places like Norway, Livermore falls, Rumford, let alone any other cities in Maine. But many many small towns around the state look exactley the same...poor, run down, and seedy. But those small towns have nothing else to offer...hardly any employment, no decent neighborhoods, ect. I would much rather be in a place like Lewiston wich also has some very upscale neighborhoods and is mostly middle class suburban neighborhoods. Sometimes I wish people really knew what was going on....but I cannot blame anyone for their opinion. I had a friend on the police department in lewiston that came from Milo maine.........I've never been there.....but he used to say how bad it was and that it was a real dump, even compared to Lewiston. Even he was suprised. I just ran the crime stats comparing Lewiston to Bangor...and Bangor has a higher violent crime rate and the same property crime rate. Portland has twice the violent crime rate and 1 1/2 times the property crime rate and Augusta has a higher property crime rate and the same violent crime rate. I do not know if anyone would have realized that.