On December 5, representatives from the Harvey Performance Company held a public meeting at Moody’s Collision Center to inform the public of its plan to build a manufacturing plant on 13 acres of land on Narragansett Street. Shawn Moody’s company purchased 62 acres, formerly a race track, from Hannaford in 2016 to develop a business park. Harvey Performance will be its first occupant.

The Harvey Performance Company makes precision tools. Brian C. Lavelle, chief financial office, explained that the company has two brands, Harvey Tools and Helical Solutions. Both will occupy the planned 76,000 square foot manufacturing plant. The Massachusetts-based company purchased Helical Solutions in 2001 and since 2003 has produced precision tools in a 16,000 square foot facility on Sanford Drive in Gorham. “Helical has 80 employees there but does not have space to expand on that site,” Lavelle said. The company will move those operations to Narragansett Street and anticipates employing nearly 100 workers when the new facility is completed.

Lavelle estimated that local and Maine Department of Environmental Protection approval for the one-story 25 foot high facility with 175 parking spaces could take about six months with construction beginning in 2020. David Galbraith, Gorham Zoning Administrator, believes after seeing the preliminary plans that the project will be approved.

The location on Narraganset Street has public water, sewer, and industrial electric service. Galbraith said that the town is working with Maine Natural Gas to extend a natural gas line from South Street west along Narragansett Street which could serve the industrial park. He indicated that more that three-fourths of the $800,000 project probably would be financed by the gas company.