Odd Fellows sold

NORWAY — According to Oxford County Registry of Deeds, the deed to the Odd Fellows Building has been transferred to a Westbrook company.

The quit claim deed, filed with the registry, shows that TD Bank N.A. transferred ownership of the property, located at 380 Main Street, to Jasim LLC, a limited liability company registered in Westbrook Maine, on December 14.

Reached Wednesday, Stephen Bither, listed as the registered agent for Jasim LLC, said his client, Sam Patel, was interested in being part of the downtown community and had ideas for low-impact retail use of the building's first floor.

"I don't know specifically what it is, but I think it's something that will be good for the community," Bither said.

According to Bither, Patel owns several convenience stores in Maine, but a similar business wasn't in the cards for the Odd Fellows.

"It's a beautiful downtown and the building looks like it has some potential, although it's an old building," Bither said.

"It seems like the town was interested in making sure something was there to make sure there's enough businesses on there [Main Street] and I think my client knows that and wants to be part of the scene."

Built in 1894, the Odd Fellows Building at one time housed the jail, district court and businesses, according to reports.

The building was purchased by Harvey and Dawn Solomon under New Horizon Capital Investment in 2008 and its Main Street facade was redone in 2009.

In 2010 Dawn Solomon was arrested, charged and ultimately convicted of defrauding the state's MaineCare system for $4 million.

The building, along with eight other properties owned by Solomon, was put up for auction in 2011 and mortgage-holder TD Banknorth bid $89,000 for it.

Then Norway businessman John Miller attempted to purchase the building from TD Banknorth but the lack of a clear title eventually derailed the purchase.

Last September, a local property developer, David Joseph, made an offer on the building, but the deal fell through when engineering plans and building permits for the building could not be located.

At the time, Joseph estimated the building needed between $500,000 and $600,000 worth of structural work to convert it into residential space.