Editing Loring Air Force Base (section)

==Current status==
Loring AFB was set to close as a result of the [[1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission]], officially closing on 30 September 1994. Immediately, Limestone was decimated. The population of Limestone dropped 76%, from 10,000 to 2,000, in the six years following the base's closure. Regional economic activity was severely lowered, as 19% of the local economy was related to Loring Air Force Base.<ref name="AOL">{{cite web|last=Watson|first=Bruce|title=A Maine Town's Long Recovery After Losing Loring AFB|url=http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/19/limestone-maines-long-road-to-recovery-after-the-loss-of-loring/|publisher=[[AOL]]|access-date=7 August 2012|date=19 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608120837/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/19/limestone-maines-long-road-to-recovery-after-the-loss-of-loring/|archive-date=8 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

One of the more immediate ideas for redevelopment of the base was to turn it into a federal prison, something which had been done previously at the former [[Carswell Air Force Base|Carswell AFB]] in Texas when the [[Federal Medical Center, Carswell]] was opened on its grounds. Many other former Air Force facilities have had prisons opened on their grounds as well. From the outset, there was some reluctance in the town about creating a prison culture in Limestone, but this was lessened once the government decided not to build a federal prison there.<ref name="AOL" />

In 1998, the former base was considered for inclusion on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], as previous studies had found that 88 buildings were eligible for inclusion on the list, including the [[Loring Air Force Base Arch Hangar|base's arch hangar]].<ref name="HAERLoring" /><ref name="Sund" />

In 1997 the rock band [[Phish]] held a [[Phish festivals|two-day concert]] dubbed ''The Great Went'', taking place on 16 and 17 August. The world's largest fire truck hosed down thousands of fans as they arrived Saturday morning, and on Sunday morning, approximately 1,100 people posed nude as part of a 50 state tour by photographer [[Spencer Tunick]].  Phish was the only band that played the main stage, performing seven sets over two nights, including a late night [[disco]] set at 2:30 AM featuring all four members on keyboards.  The [[Bangor Symphony Orchestra]] performed Debussy and Stravinsky during the afternoon of the second day, accompanied by a glider pilot who soared above the audience.  75,000 people attended, making the event Phish's largest concert up to that point, and the top-grossing rock concert in the United States in the summer of 1997. Fans camped out onsite in tents and [[RV]]s, making Limestone the largest city in Maine over the weekend.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phish.net/faq/greatwent.html|title=Phish.net|website=www.phish.net}}</ref>

[[Image:Lemonwheel .jpg|left|thumb|600px|Lemonwheel]]
Phish again staged a weekendlong concert, this time called ''Lemonwheel'', on 15 and 16 August 1998.  60,000 people attended<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.godstreetwine.com/mailinglist/finewine/archive/finewine/finewine.log9809a.txt |title=Phish Fest Nets $81,000 in Drugs; 1,200 Arrests |work=SonicNet News |publisher=sonicnet.com |access-date=2008-06-13 |date=1998-09-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050430045613/http://www.godstreetwine.com/mailinglist/finewine/archive/finewine/finewine.log9809a.txt |archive-date=30 April 2005 }}</ref> creating a community of fans that, again, made Limestone one of the largest cities in Maine over the weekend.

Phish played a third weekendlong concert at the base called the ''IT Festival'', on 2 and 3 August 2003. 60,000 people attended and again, Phish was the only band at the event, performing seven sets over two nights, including a late night ambient set atop of the air traffic control tower at 2:30 AM after the first night's concert.

On 31 July 2024, Loring Air Force Base commemorated the 30th anniversary of the base's closure, featuring the arrival of a B-52 Stratofortress and various activities for attendees. The event was held to recognize the historical significance of the 42nd Bomber Wing and the base's role during the Cold War.<ref name="Sinclair 2024">{{cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Andrew |title=Loring Air Force Base Open House Revives Historic Legacy |website=DVIDS |date=August 3, 2024 |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/477801/loring-air-force-base-open-house-revives-historic-legacy |ref={{sfnref|DVIDS|2024}} |access-date=September 23, 2024}}</ref>

The Loring Development Authority created the Loring Commerce Centre on {{convert|9472|acre|km2|adj=on}} of the site. It was marketed as an "excellent solution for your business real estate needs at a very reasonable cost."<ref name="LoringCommerceCentre">{{cite web|title=Loring Commerce Centre|url=http://www.loring.org/|publisher=[[Loring Commerce Centre]]|access-date=2 February 2013|year=2006}}</ref> [[Bigelow Aerospace]] maintains a call center at Loring. In addition to the Sitel site (no longer present), other call centers exist on the former base, as well as food processing, forestry operations, light manufacturing, and aviation services. The military has made a return to Loring over the years through the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Limestone office, a major component of the [[Defense Finance and Accounting Service]]. The [[2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission]] consolidated DFAS' 26 offices into 5, with Loring being one of the consolidation points. This facility is located in the old base hospital.<ref name="DFASL">{{cite web|title=The Defense Finance and Accounting Service Limestone Fact Sheet|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc25130/m2/1/high_res_d/BRAC-2005_12319.pdf|publisher=[[Defense Finance and Accounting Service]]|access-date=16 March 2014}}</ref>

Cleanup continued at the base, including the removal of hazardous materials, which prevented further waste from entering the nearby Greenlaw Brook, as it received drainage from the flightline and [[nose dock]] areas.<ref name="EPA" />