BIDDEFORD — An iconic and neglected Biddeford landmark is getting a second lease on life, thanks to a group of volunteers and others who are working to repurpose the former St. Andre Church on Bacon Street to create an expanded community teen center.

St. Andre Church, constructed in the late 1800s, was one of three Catholic churches in Biddeford. It, along with St. Mary’s Church, was shuttered more than 12 years ago and has remained vacant since then, falling into serious disrepair.

A few years ago, Guy Gagnon, executive director of the Biddeford Housing Authority, saw some potential in the church and its adjacent buildings, including the former St. Andre’s School, which is now a senior residential center.  The housing authority was able to purchase the property from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in 2016.

“The church was the last piece of the puzzle,” Gagnon said. “What’s happening there now is a seven-year dream come true.”

Within the next two years, the former church is scheduled to become the new home of the My Place Teen Center, which today has a much smaller location on Graham Street in a building formerly occupied by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

The new My Place Teen Center will be modeled after its sister location in Westbrook, said Donna Dwyer, executive director of the non-profit organization. Opened in 1998, the My Place Teen Center in Westbrook is located in the former United Methodist Church on Main Street.

The current location of the My Place Teen Center in Biddeford serves approximately 350 young people between the ages of 14 and 24. It is open five hours a day and five days per week, serving youth from all over northern York County, Dwyer said.

Beyond providing teens a safe and welcoming place, the My Place Teen Center also offers each youth a homemade meal each day, which is part of its skills and training program that includes teaching young people job and life skills, including the restaurant industry.

According to its web site, the My Place Teen Center also provides academic assistance through tutoring, study skills, a learning lab and other academic programs, ranging from science and technology to the arts.

Dwyer says her organization has a strong focus on building strong community leaders by also providing classes in character and leadership development.

“Our core philosophy is recognizing and fostering the potential of each kid,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer said she is “beyond excited” about the renovation of the former Biddeford church.

 “It is a perfect location, and it’s a great opportunity to once again give life and vibrancy to that building,” she said.

But there remains a whole lot of work that needs to be done first before the former church can come back to life.

Jim Godbout, a well-known community volunteer, is spearheading the renovation effort at the former church, volunteering his time and in-kind service.

 “The building has good bones,” he said. “But it’s also in pretty rough shape.”

Earlier this week, Godbout provided a tour of the building, which is often described as a classic example of a Romanesque Revival brick structure. Today, however, many of those bricks and crumbling and need to be replaced.

Godbout said he was drawn to the project because he saw “another good opportunity for the youth in our community.” Although the renovation work started three years ago, it was put on hold because of the Covid pandemic.

Late last year, however, the York County Commissioners voted unanimously to allocate $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan funds to the proposed $3 million renovation project.

“It was really a no-brainer for us,” said Al Sicard, a former county commissioner about the funding, saying he and fellow commissioner Richard Dutremble toured the Westbrook location of the My Place Teen Center and were “very impressed” with its programs and services.

Beyond the crumbling bricks that can be seen on the building’s exterior, the former church also needs roof repairs, updated electrical systems, plumbing work and fire-safety updates, not to mention lead paint abatement, new floors, a new heating system, a commercial kitchen as well as an elevator so the building will be compliant with the American Disabilities Act.

“It’s sort of overwhelming when you step back and look at the whole picture,” Godbout said. “But the space is really perfect for the teen center because much of it is a large open space.”

Before most of that work can be started, however, some more basic cleaning tasks need to be completed. Over the last few years, pigeons have been nesting in the rafters of the building and there is now a layer of almost five inches of bird waste accumulating on the second floor of the building.

Godbout says the project is well worth the effort and that students from the Biddeford High School Center of Technology will be helping with some of the plumbing and electrical work.

“Hopefully, we can get another 100 years out of this building,” he said “We all have to try and do whatever it takes to help our kids. The community rallied to build this church 100 years ago, and now we’re hoping the community can rally again.”

For more information about the My Place Teen Center or to donate, visit https://myplaceteencenter.org/

Randy Seaver can be contacted at [email protected].