In the last issue of The Gardiner Gazette, we reported that Patsy Iovieno of Pasquale’s Pizza and Restaurant had acquired the former Hi Ho Home Market at 123 Main Street and, after extensive research with contractors and architects, determined that it would be more cost effective to tear down the old building and rebuild from the ground up. Mr. Iovieno, however, has decided to renovate the existing building, rather than to tear it down and start over. In this way the historic value of the building will be maintained, as will the architectural aesthetic of our Main Street. The renovated building will ultimately house two storefronts and two apartments.
Right around the corner from this project, on 2nd Street, is Sal Acompura’s proposal to build four apartments and four thousand square feet of retail space. The new building will occupy the empty lot at the corner of 2nd and Milk Streets, with frontage on both.
Mr. Acompura’s plan has been before the Planning Board for over two years now. According to Mike Boylan, Chairman of the Planning Board, this project is hopefully expecting approval at the August or September Planning Board meeting.
Since these two projects are adjacent, it is possible that they may work together regarding a sidewalk extension which turns the corner onto 2nd Street, as well as other cooperative possibilities.