Franklin Place Subdivision
pays homage to former principal
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The exterior of the first of four duplex condominiums to be built at the Franklin Place Subdivision on Third Street has been completed, and now crews will begin framing the second structure.
Staff photos/Scott Mitchell Johnson
WITH THE EXTERIOR of the first of four duplex condominiums to be built on Third Street in Presque Isle at the Franklin Place Subdivision completed, crews have begun framing the second structure. Mike MacPherson, owner of CSP, LLC, a local real estate development company, said the idea is to get them “both fully enclosed with roofing, siding, brickwork and hot top for the driveways prior to snowfall. Then the carpenters can go back in and finish them up.” He expects to have the first unit, pictured at right, done and for sale prior to Thanksgiving.
THE OUTSIDE of this duplex condominium, built at the Franklin Place Subdivision on Third Street, is completed and soon carpenters will be able to go in and do the inside work. Mike MacPherson, owner of CSP, LLC, a local real estate development company, said there is a definite need for high-end condos in Presque Isle. Built on the site of the former Cunningham School, MacPherson said the Franklin Place Subdivision is a way to honor the former school and its longtime principal, Frank Cunningham.
“I’m hoping to have the first unit — the southeast corner building — done and for sale prior to Thanksgiving,” said Mike MacPherson, owner of CSP, LLC, a local real estate development company. “We’re planning on doing two duplex condos this year. The idea is to get them both fully enclosed with roofing, siding, brickwork and hot top for the driveways prior to snowfall. Then the carpenters can go back in and finish them up.
“Some of the wiring is done, some of the plumbing is done, and the studs are all up as far as the interior petitions, so crews will be able to go in and continue working,” he said. “We’ve been trying to get the subcontractors in to do their part while the carpenters are working on the outside because I don’t want to hold the carpenters up.”
Crews recently poured the concrete for the second building. MacPherson said each single-story duplex is suitable for couples that don’t have children and may want to winter in Florida.
“Each unit will be well insulated and have electric heat,” he said, “with a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage with storage space over the garage. The garage will be insulated, as well.
“There will be 1,400 square feet of living space; 2,100 square feet total,” said MacPherson. “The kitchen will include marble countertops, and the owner will decide on what they want for flooring — wood, carpet or tile.”
The master bedroom will include a walk-in closet, and the bathroom will feature a tile shower and dual vanity.
“We wanted to get as much separation as we could between the buildings and still be close to the lot lines, yet have it look like a nice project. We didn’t just want to throw the buildings onto the property,” MacPherson said. “All the buildings are 40 feet apart from front to back and 40 feet from side to side. That’s more than you would have in a regular lot line.”
The Franklin Place Subdivision is the west side of the property and measures 1.62 acres. The first condo has a gray exterior, while the northern unit will be cream colored. MacPherson is still determining the color of the other two, which will be built next spring.
“The units will all have the same blueprint, but the colors will be different,” he said, noting that a homeowner’s association will own the common area and be responsible for the outside of the buildings and the roofs, as well as the mowing and plowing.
Built on the site of the former Cunningham School, MacPherson said the Franklin Place Subdivision is a way to honor the former school and its longtime principal.
“The CSP in CSP, LLC stands for Cunningham School Property,” he said. “The Franklin in Franklin Place Subdivision is named after Frank Cunningham. I thought that was a fitting tribute to him. He was the principal when I was in high school. I was so impressed by him as a young man.
“I remember he would stand in the lunch line, and as you went through, he would say, ‘Hi. How are you? I’m Mr. Cunningham. Who’s your Dad and what does he do?’ and after harvest he would be able to go up and down the hall and say, ‘Hi Mike!’ or ‘Hi Sally.’ He knew all the kids at school,” MacPherson said. “At that time, the high school was grades 10-12 and there were probably 775-800 students and he knew them all by name. That really impressed me, and this was one way to honor the man. He was a great person.”
The Franklin Place Subdivision units will be for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We’ve heard nothing but positive comments,” said MacPherson. “We don’t have any signed contracts, but we do have a list of people interested in the condos. We actually have more interest than we do places to put them. People want to live in a condominium and have everything taken care of except for walking out the door and locking it behind them. There’s a definite need for high-end condos in Presque Isle.”
Having lived across from the old school for 30-plus years, MacPherson said he hated to see it torn down, but was excited to hear the property was for sale.
“One day last winter, the City Council had a meeting and decided to go to a real estate broker and see what it would sell for. They ended up giving it to Remax to market and sell it,” he said. “I heard on the street that they had done that, and later talked to Jane Towle about it. The price was $79,900 for the whole parcel, or 3.23 acres, so I talked to my wife and said, ‘I think we should buy it.’ She agreed and I went to Jane and said, ‘Write up the paperwork, and we’ll do it.’”
B.R. Smith Associates, Inc. is the project engineer, while Donald Michaud is the building contractor. Others working on the development project include Bev Jewett (concrete contractor), Powers Plumbing and Heating, Inc., Trombley Construction and T&M Electric, Inc.
“These units will offer a lot that isn’t currently out there in the marketplace,” said MacPherson, “and I think people are going to be happy to have this home-buying option.”
For more information, call MacPherson at 540-1401.
