BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 5, 2023
Bangor received a federal grant last month to demolish an abandoned, contaminated former military building at the Bangor International Airport and repurpose the land. The $897,850 Brownfields Assessment Grant comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and doesn’t require a match from the city. The money will be used to rehabilitate the “Alert Building” at the airport leftover from its days as the Dow Air Force Base. The newly formed U.S. Air Force took control of the site in 1947 and it became Dow Air Force Base for servicemembers and their families. At its peak, the base was home to more than 5,000 people. In addition to chemicals and wildlife, the empty, decaying building is likely riddled with asbestos, mold and lead paint. Once remediated, the land will be available for the airport to use for potential freight or warehouse needs.