New project proposed in Village of Lewiston

‘Little Yellow House’ separated from International Peace Garden

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

New plans are in place for the former site of The Vintage Barber, Soully Created and Sue’s Frame of Mind in Lewiston.

Village of Lewiston Trustee Jim Fittante has presented a project to the municipality to rebuild 748 Center St. The parcel has been empty since January 2023, when the building housing the three retailers, and a second-floor dwelling, was demolished.

The new two-story building is intended to have one business unit on the ground level and one single rental unit on the second floor. It will “connect” to the structure operated by Vincenzo’s Pizza House, as its predecessor did prior to the late-November 2022 fire that ravaged 748 Center St., leaving it uninhabitable. Exterior design will complement the nearby Historic Lewiston Opera Hall.

The structure on this 1,341-square-foot parcel also will have a porch, and room for two parking spaces.

Both the Historic Preservation and Planning commissions approved Fittante’s proposal on Monday.

He is the principal architect at Fittante Architecture.

The Vintage Barber and Sue’s Frame of Mind relocated and reopened following the fire.

Village working to sell off ‘Little Yellow House’

The Planning Board also approved a request from the Village of Lewiston to subdivide the “Little Yellow House” (476 Center St.), separating it from the International Peace Garden courtyard. This action was taken as the municipality looks to sell the property – though no timeline has been set. The building is now leased to Just Desserts by Aimee.

Planning Board members previously voted against this measure, as the original request required variances to the village’s own code.

They were persuaded to vote in favor following a second petition, with less-severe breaks from the law, and in hearing Mayor Anne Welch and Fittante state the Village Board seeks to keep as much of the pocket park as possible – as well as the brick pavers people have purchased in support of the garden.

Welch said a similar subdivision was granted for the “Big Yellow House,” located on the other end of the International Peace Garden, at 475 Ridge St. This property was previously sold.