OAKLAND, Maine – Today, FirstPark, the premier business park in Maine, is proud to announce a long list of major accomplishments heading into 2023, the 25th anniversary year of the business park. Throughout 2022, the Kennebec Regional Development Authority (KRDA) has worked hard to bring new companies and jobs to Maine.
In late November, FirstPark officially welcomed Meyer Tool, an Ohio-based company that has served the aerospace and power generation industries since 1951. The manufacturer, headquartered in Cincinnati, will take over lots two and three on Technology Drive. Earlier this year, FirstPark also filled up lots 19 through 22, bringing Minnesota-based Novel Energy Solutions to the business park.
“We are proud of the momentum FirstPark has developed throughout 2022 and look forward to the continued enthusiasm going into 2023. The increased jobs from new and existing business in the park benefit the surrounding communities, making central Maine a great place to live and work,” said KRDA President Michelle Flewelling.
At the same time, re-sales have remained strong at FirstPark. The building at 15 Evergreen Drive – formerly owned by Dr. Diane Gable – closed with Maine Technology Group in late October for $400,000. At 25 FirstPark Drive, MaineGeneral has signed a long-term lease for the building’s lower level to become the new home of Oakland Family Medicine, which is moving from downtown Oakland in the spring of 2023.
Job creation is similarly robust, with FirstPark companies adding new career opportunities this year and providing Oakland residents with newfound financial security. T-Mobile – a staple at FirstPark – now plans to add 100 new jobs by March of 2023, taking that job creation to another level. In January, Dr. Anna O’Keefe’s new dental practice opened at 93 FirstPark Drive in a new building with state-of-the-art equipment. Dr. O’Keefe and her husband, Brendan O’Keefe, are Colby College graduates and have both established businesses in the area.
“Our new building in FirstPark has made the dental practice easier for patients to find us and has improved accessibility for some of our elderly patients and those with wheelchairs. We have also been able to hire a new associate dentist and will be accepting new patients very soon for the first time in seven years,” said Brendan O’Keefe, business manager at Anna O’Keefe, D.M.D., P.A.
“The FirstPark team couldn’t be more excited about our momentum in 2022, and we look forward to building on it for our 25th anniversary,” said Jim Dinkle, executive director at FirstPark. “In recent months, we have welcomed new companies and brought new jobs to the Oakland community, reaffirming the innovative spirit of Maine. Because of our efforts over the last few decades, the local community is now more business-friendly, greener, and an all-around better place to live, work, and play.”