contributed photo

A reader alerted us to this month’s dump. It’s on Ocean Avenue, at the Portland/Falmouth line, on the corner of Ledgewood Drive. The structure sits (slumps, really) between the post demarking the Falmouth line and a Welcome to Portland sign, placing it in a DMZ of sorts between the two communities.

Come to think of it, with its windows boarded up with weathered gray plywood and devastated front porch, 1062 Ocean Ave. would not look out of place in a demilitarized zone.

If Falmouth ever attacks, this outpost is vulnerable.

Built in 1900, there are two units in the building (a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom with den), plus a barn-style two-car garage and 5.7 acres of land along the Ledgewood side. The dirt driveway leading to the garage has been largely reclaimed by an army of grass.

The property’s been vacant for several years now. It was on the market in 2007 for about $290,000, minus the acreage. A different realtor had it on the market two years later for $380,000, land included. That listing said the property was “frozen in time waiting for restoration.”

Unfortunately, time continued to march on. In March of 2011, the asking price for land and building was down to $180,000. The agent noted that repairs had been “started and abandoned.” City tax records listed the owner of record as the Federal National Mortgage Association (a.k.a. Fannie Mae).

But that summer, the bank-owned property was purchased for $121,000 cash. Ellen Anastos of Coldwell Banker, who brokered the sale, contacted the new owner on our behalf. The owner had no comment about his immediate plans for the site, but we have reason to believe it’ll be habitable again in the not-too-distant future.

Which will be a relief. We need someone to sound the alarm if the Kayak People* advance into East Deering along Middle Road.

— Chris Busby

*Grateful acknowledgment to Patrick Corrigan for this reference.