Board also approves MDI YMCA, Black Friar Inn, and Bar Harbor Bike Shop changes
Apr 26, 2025
BAR HARBOR—James Mitchell was back to officially appear before the Design Review Board, Thursday, April 24, to talk about the demolishment of the Irving Oil gas station at 99 Cottage Street and building a new one.
“We’re trying our best to replace an eyesore,” Mitchell said.
Black shingles will cover the roof. A brick color has been selected and there is a sill to separate the brick and clapboard siding, which is a gray concrete.
According to its application that is scheduled to go before the town’s planning board in May, currently the outlet is a “1,449-square-foot convenience store, retail fueling area with two fuel dispensers (four vehicle fueling positions) and no canopy structure, paved parking lot with 13 striped spaces and wide curb cuts located along both Cottage Street and Holland Avenue.”
It also currently holds a fenced dumpster area and two 8,000-gallon underground fuel storage tanks.
The application that will go before the planning board deals with the details of the proposal that hopes to raze the existing structure and create “a new retail motor fuel outlet including a 3,500-square-foot convenience store, retail fuel canopy with three fuel islands (six vehicle fueling positions) and paved parking lot with 10-striped parking spaces,” according to the planning board application.
An “outdoor customer seating patio area, pedestrian accommodations including a new sidewalk/stairs connection to Cottage Street in addition to the typical site amenities provided at a new retail motor fueling facility,” is proposed as is “access to the site will consist of two well-defined curb cuts along Cottage Street and Holland Avenue to facilitate better access and safety on and surrounding the property. The proposed building, canopy and site improvements meet all required bulk zoning for the zoning district.”
The biggest change since Mitchell came before the design review board for a preliminary view is the front entrance on Cottage having a straight access out the front door requires a step and handrail, but there will still be ADA accessibility to the side. The retaining wall for the patio area will be approximately 2 feet tall and have a wrought-iron-color, four-foot, picket-style fence along the patio area.
They have stopped pumping fuel and gasoline in preparation. The store is open for the time being. They go before the planning board May 7 and hope for final approval on June 4 and may do demo prior to that. They’ll be removing the tanks as well as demolishing the building.
The new construction of the facility on the 22,041 square-foot property would happen after the approval and demolition of the current structure.
BLACK FRIAR INN
The Black Friar Inn at 10 Summer Street received permission for a temporary/removable wooden platform at ground level in an area tucked next to the Pathmaker Hotel.
Next year they’ll do a more involved ground level platform that will be 15 by 15, which preserves two parking spaces for large vehicles, Steven Woitasek said.
It’s the basic same footage for outdoor picnic tables that they’ve used for the last five years, he said.
MDI YMCA
An awning, attached to the building, was approved for the School Street Side of the MDI YMCA during the April 24 meeting. The awning would be over a door that currently leads to storage. It was authorized by Bar Harbor Town Manager James Smith. The land the nonprofit uses is owned by the town.
At the April 10 meeting, the MDI YMCA requested its shed be moved from its School Street side to behind of the building by a dumpster. It was also approved.
EARLIER DESIGN REVIEW BOARD APPLICATIONS
ACADIA MOUNTAIN GUIDES- 228 MAIN STREET
Heather Tierney explained that they hoped to landscape the front yard with a new porous hardscape and replace the deteriorated brick walkway.
The front facade would be painted in a historically appropriate color similar to “Bar Harbor Green.”
The second-floor dormer will be modified to create walk-out doors leading to a new second-story deck and extend the existing porch.
Some bay windows would also be replaced.
Tierney said that they hope to get the extension of the porch done this year and do the second story work next season. They’d also like to do the landscaping this year.
They expect there to be some obstruction of the sidewalk for two days this season as the landscaper lifts up the walkway for replacement.
It was approved.
141 COTTAGE STREET
College of the Atlantic’s plan at 141 Cottage Street is to build two ten-foot walls with an attached awning in the back courtyard at 141 Cottage Street. It we be along the length bordering the 37 Eden Street property. It is at the Bar Harbor Bike Shop. It will mostly be obscured by the currently existing fence so that it won’t be visible from Cottage Street and partially in view from people on Eden Street. The structure will hold bicycles and there will be an attached awning to protect those bikes from the elements.
It’s considered a wall. There will be hooks on the wall to hang the bicycles for storage. It will protect those bicycles from the elements.
SALSBURY ORGANIC’S
In a March meeting, in less than four minutes, the Design Review Board deemed Salsbury Organic’s new front entrance and new side fence appropriate at its 1501 State Highway 102.
Chris Marcial is the owner.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
https://www.barharbormaine.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04102025-3596
Correction: Somehow throughout this story “Balance Rock’ was substituted for “Black Friar.” We are so sorry that our brains glitched this Saturday morning. Many apologies!
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