A building in downtown Caribou that formerly housed an auto parts store and a food pantry is set to be torn down later this year as the city works to clean up dilapidated properties.

The 9,440-square-foot property at 49 Herschel St. was built in 1945. It was home to Greenier Auto Parts beginning in 1977, then operated as the Caribou Ecumenical Food Pantry from 2009 until the late 2010s.

But roof damage and subsequent water damage from leaks have kept the building vacant and deteriorating in recent years. The city marked the building unfit for human occupancy in 2019 and unpaid taxes — totaling more than $4,000 — have piled up since 2021.

“The building needs to be torn down,” Deputy Mayor Jody Smith said during the July 28 meeting at which the council initially considered bids for demoli

See Full Page