Biddeford

Flanked by an expanse of salt marsh and the Atlantic Ocean, Hills Beach is a relaxed seaside neighborhood comfortably removed from the chaos associated with popular beach towns in Maine. This quiet cove is located at the end of a dead-end street past the University of New England’s Biddeford campus. Most of the residents have been settled here for a long time, and the seasonal crowd tends to rent houses to college students during the school year. The beaches do not have significant public access, so it’s likely that the only other people residents will see sunning in the sand or enjoying the sound of the waves from the porches are their neighbors. Despite being just minutes away from downtown Biddeford, Hills Beach is a well-removed beachside hideaway. The namesake Hills Beach has limited public access and parking, so residents will likely have the shore all to themselves. While Maine is famous for its rocky coastline, that is not the case here. “We have a sandy beach right out front,” says Chris Cronkhite, owner of Sea Breeze Real Estate and life-long area resident. This sandbar runs 500 yards along the Atlantic Ocean, and locals can frequently be seen taking kayaking excursions out to the nearby islands. “Homeowners can actually drive to Basket Island,” Cronkhite continues. “As kids, we used to walk out there at low tide. We’d go around to Stage Island and Wood Island and loop back, all on the sandbars.” Basket Island is a secluded residential enclave, while Stage Island promises a hike to a historic monument and Wood Island features a lighthouse rumored to be haunted. While the Cape Cods and Victorian cottages expected of a New England coastal town still reign supreme, some new construction has begun in Hills Beach. “We’ve been a little behind on the trend, but the rebuilds are starting to go up,” Cronkhite says. “There are still cottages around, though. We’ve got a good mix.” Waterfront property is easier to come by here, as several houses look out on Back Bay rather than on the expanse of the Atlantic. A two-bedroom cottage on the bay, built in 1973, begins around $920,000, while a three-bedroom contemporary Saltbox on the ocean, built in 1997, prices around $1.5 million. There are no grocery stores directly in Hills Beach. “People have to go to Biddeford for grocery shopping,” Cronkhite says. The closest supermarket is Hannaford, 5.5 miles away on Elm Street. Three miles further west on Alfred Road, residents will find Target, Home Depot and PetSmart. As expected of a beachfront community, there are plenty of low-key local options as well. “Five Acre Farm Stand is 5 miles away, and everybody loves that,” Cronkhite adds. “They have fresh pie and baked goods. It all works on an honor system – you just leave the money on the counter and take what you pay for. And there’s Wolff Lobster right next door. That’s where we all go to get our lobster, clams, all that stuff you expect from Maine in the summer.” Wolff Lobster is seasonal, but residents can get their seafood fix year-round at Fish & Whistle in Biddeford. The Wood Island Lighthouse is one of only two island lighthouses in Maine that is open to the public for tours. “We take boat tours out across Winter Harbor,” Cronkhite says. “The lighthouse is supposed to be haunted.” When not in the mood to board a boat full of tourists, locals can head to Sacred Profane Brewery and Tankpub in Biddeford for standup comedy nights. Children in Hills Beach are zoned for Biddeford Public Schools, which is made up of five schools that all children attend. They begin at the John F. Kennedy Memorial School for kindergarten, which Niche rates a B. For first and second grades, they attend Biddeford Primary School, which earns a C-plus. For third and fourth grades they move to Biddeford Intermediate School, which scores a C. Students then head to C-rated Biddeford Middle School for fifth through eighth grades, and finally to Biddeford High School, which also earns a C. Hills Beach Road is a dead-end street leading straight to the shoreline. Route 208 is the main thoroughfare, connecting residents to downtown Biddeford and Saco 5 miles away. Portland International Jetport is 20 miles north, accessible from Interstate 95. Hills Beach neighbors the University of New England Biddeford Campus, the largest private university in Maine. “They’re a big deal,” Cronkhite says. “They host a speaker series that brings some interesting people to town.” Students will occasionally rent houses in the neighborhood as an alternative to campus housing during the school year.

Not long ago, Biddeford was a hollow shell of a mill town along the Saco River. Its sister city, Saco, and the nearby coastal resort community of Old Orchard Beach hogged most of the spotlight. Today, the southern Maine city honors its history while focusing on the future. “There was a time when Biddeford was not considered a great place to live because when the mills closed, we had all these empty storefronts,” says Diane Cyr, president of the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center. “But now they’re revitalizing the mills and working on a plan for a trail along the water. It’s also becoming known as a foodie town.” Biddeford’s old mill buildings set the stage for the city’s up-and-coming restaurant scene. Neighbors meet over micro-roasted coffee at Elements, a café and bookstore that also pours craft beer. At The Dunn Bar, pub-goers tuck into Irish comfort food like boxty and shepherd’s pie, washed down with pints of Guinness. Beer lovers also have easy access to taprooms like Sacred Profane Brewery and Banded Brewing Company. The Palace Diner, dishing up counter-service comfort food from an old railcar, is a local institution, and the Greek-style personal pies from Pizza by Alex regularly land on “Best Pizza in Maine” lists. Shoppers duck into Briar & Bone, Trillium and Suger for handmade jewelry, unique gifts and fine clothing. Tran’s Market is the place to go for produce and hard-to-find ingredients for Asian dishes, but there’s also a Hannaford supermarket nearby. Homes in downtown Biddeford are primarily multi-family residences. Some early 19th-century brick mill buildings have been converted into condos and apartments. While it’s possible to snag a single-family home, those are rare finds in this part of the city. Condos and single-family homes start at about $400,000, but a multi-family unit could cost over $1 million, especially if it’s on the river. Residential buildings are packed close together, and most residents park on the street. Fortunately, street parking is free in downtown Biddeford, provided it’s in a legal space. The downtown area is highly walkable, with paved sidewalks leading the way to the many dining and retail options. For a weekend in August, River Jam invites Biddeford residents to feast and frolic beside the water in Mechanic Park. Local vendors set up stalls, and food trucks park along Water Street. The Cultural Cuisine tent serves ethnic delicacies from the many countries represented in Biddeford’s diverse population. Adult celebrants can sip beer and wine in the Gazebo while enjoying live music from the main stage. Kid-friendly activities may vary from year to year, but past River Jams have featured a wet obstacle course, a magic show and interactive dinosaur-themed entertainment. When River Jam isn’t in session, Mechanics Park is a relaxing riverside haven at the corner of Main and Water Streets. The Gazebo is the focal point, but there are also lighted walking paths and a workout station where visitors can get their daily exercise. The Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit (BSOOB) stops in various downtown Biddeford locations, many of them on Main Street. Additionally, the RiverWalk transports traffic and pedestrians to Factory Island in Saco. From here, locals can hop on the Amtrak Downeaster for the 30-minute ride north to Portland or the two-hour journey south to Boston. Biddeford students attend a progression of five schools, each a short drive from downtown. They enter kindergarten at John F. Kennedy Memorial School, which earns a B from Niche. For grades 1-3, they’ll move on to Biddeford Primary School, which gets a C-plus. Then it’s on to Biddeford Intermediate, Middle and High Schools. All these schools receive a C grade. Crossing the bridge onto Springs Island takes residents to another section of downtown Biddeford. Residents will find blue-collar businesses like Deering Lumber, Bedard's Roofing & Construction and Always Green Tree Lawn and Landscape here. Buyers with romantic preconceptions about islands in Maine should be aware that this isn’t the nicest side of town.

Whether they are year-round residents or just there for the summer, it is clear why people live in Fortunes Rocks. “They love the beach,” says Realtor Chris Stone with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years. “It’s gorgeous, with beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets.” The titular beach spans 2 miles of hard-packed sand on the Maine Coast. The summer months see surfers, swimmers and boaters filling the shore, while the winter months are much quieter. The area is almost entirely residential, with shops and restaurants in downtown Biddeford about 6 miles away. Locals can walk along the sandy shores of Fortunes Rocks Beach, or spend their days swimming, kayaking and surfing. “It’s very popular for surfers, with the way the waves and the tides are at that beach,” says Danica Lamontagne, assistant to the city manager of Biddeford. Lifeguards watch the beach from late May to September, and people will need to purchase a parking permit from the Biddeford City Clerk. The Great Pond Nature Reserve has a 1.5-mile loop around the pond, while the trail at Timber Point, part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, lets hikers walk among salt marshes and forests. The private Abernakee Club is a 9-hole course that sits at the northern part of the neighborhood. Most residents can see the rocky Maine coast and the sands of Fortunes Rocks Beach from their windows. Farther from the shore, the view changes to a dense collection of oak trees. Houses with clapboard exteriors are common in Maine and include ranch styles, Colonial Revivals built from the late 19th century to the 2000s and new traditional homes. “It’s a very eclectic area, where you’ll have a small cottage next to a large house that’s been renovated," Stone says. Prices can range from $800,000 to $1.5 million, although many of the houses directly on the water can exceed $2 million. Fortunes Rocks receives a CAP Index Crime Score of one out of 10, compared to the national average of four out of 10. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood hazard map classifies most of the area as Zone VE, meaning there is a 26% chance of flood damage over a 30-year mortgage, with increased risk during storms. Flood insurance is recommended for all homeowners and required for those with a federally backed mortgage. The annual River Jam Festival is an all-day celebration along the Saco River with performances from local theater troupes and bands, canoe rides, games for kids and food from the Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center and some of the city’s restaurants. The night ends with a fireworks display. “That’s probably our biggest annual event,” Lamontagne says. Locals can get dinner or pick up the essentials from Goldthwaite’s Pool Lobster, which has been serving the community for over a century. Otherwise, they travel to downtown Biddeford for breakfast in an antique railroad car at Palace Diner or a drink from Banded Brewing Co. The taproom is in the Pepperell Mill Campus, a renovated mill that is quickly becoming the city’s retail hub, with local stores such as Wild Witchy Woman LLC, eateries including Rover Bagels and Jackrabbit Cafe, and dance and art studios. Residents can get groceries from Hannaford or the family-owned New Morning Natural Foods, and big-box stores such as Walmart, Target and Home Depot are all about 10 miles away. As part of Biddeford Public Schools, students can complete pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at John F. Kennedy Memorial School, which earns a B from Niche before attending first and second grade at the C-plus rated Biddeford Primary School. Biddeford Intermediate School offers third through fifth grade, and Biddeford Middle School teaches sixth and seventh grade. Eighth through 12th grade are at Biddeford High School, where students can join clubs such as Regional Fine Arts and the community service focused Interact. All three schools receive a C from Niche. The University of New England is in downtown Biddeford and offers 60 undergraduate degrees. The neighborhood is largely car dependent. State Route 9 runs through the area, eventually connecting with U.S. Route 1 and feeding into Portland, about 25 miles away. Most residents fly out of Portland International Jetport, about 22 miles away. The Southern Maine Health Care Emergency Room is about an 8-mile drive.