Old Port Square (née Canal Plaza) | Portland

DZH22 said:
Portland has a church, the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, that was the tallest building in New England when built in 1866.
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The Church of the Covenant in Boston (1865-1867) was completed two years earlier and was 240' compared to 202'. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was started in 1866 but was not finished until 1869. But many tall building enthusiasts don't count steeples, smokestacks, flagpoles, antennas and monuments that cannot be occupied and I am one of them.
 
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NR2Portland said:
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Many have complained/worried about this sticking out like a sore thumb or “ruining the skyline” which is such a pathetic complaint. Everything starts somewhere. Lots of people like the aesthetic of the steps up to the tallest building in a skyline. I outlined what Portland may see in the next 10 years. Some a little more far fetched, others in the process of being built, all that have been discussed in this forum! Looks like this tower could lead the way to those larger steps instead of a shorter, stubby stump leading up to the Casco then falling off which we have now!
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This is exactly it. This, plus a viable alternative to the hundreds of units of housing seen here needing a 1:1 ratio of apartment to car. The peninsula is already a walker's paradise, build transit to let the inner ring suburbs participate for a cheaper price of admission: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=15tyYZEwi1go13wGsAKCCCqwCN8uZrQg&usp=sharing
 
DZH22 said:
This tower will likely tip the scale for me to lean Portland over Providence.
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We'd surely welcome your support DHZ and when you visit Portland in the future let me know and lunch is on me. Don't think I could afford TC and his upscale taste! :)
 
mainejeff said:
I started looking at buildings in various American and Canadian cities….specifically the caps/rooflines. Atlanta has a bunch of examples but I found Bank of America Plaza to be one of the better ones. The Old Port Square design has grown on me though. I think it is sophisticated and unique…and would vault Portland into another level of urbanism and notoriety on the East Coast.
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Not too dissimilar from the pics I shared of 111 Huntington in Boston
 
Moreover, as I've said many times, I get to visit many cities in the U.S. and it's the better hotels, bars, and restaurants. What I've noticed is that the rooftop view, or higher up, is best from 10-30 floors. This new tower proposal for Portland is ideal at 30. Why? The views of the harbor and islands for one, but then also the views looking at the people below in the Old Port. The worst rooftop view experience ever for me? The 100 story Hancock Tower in Chicago. As soon as I was up there, I wanted to leave. Forget looking at people below, and the cars were dots. It was like being in an airplane, high up--monotony. And, the wind caused the building, or the rooftop floor, to actually move, or it felt that way. The wind hitting the seams in the windows created a slight "whistling" sound.

In Manhattan, go to the Citizen M Hotel in the Bowery District. 20 floors up, indoor or out, in lower Manhattan with its 360 degree views (reasonable room rates as few know about this hotel). The Whitney Museum upper outdoor deck is fun too. And Boston? It's only really looking south and a bit west, though at about the same height--the new Raffles Hotel bars and restaurants on the 19th floor. LA? Not the 73 story Korean Airlines building rooftop. You get bored with that, or I did. And with Portland's new tower, on a clear fall day? Mt. Washington on one side, the harbor and islands on the other. It could become a BIG deal. Build baby build.
 
TC_zoid said:
Moreover, as I've said many times, I get to visit many cities in the U.S. and it's the better hotels, bars, and restaurants. What I've noticed is that the rooftop view, or higher up, is best from 10-30 floors. This new tower proposal for Portland is ideal at 30. Why? The views of the harbor and islands for one, but then also the views looking at the people below in the Old Port. The worst rooftop view experience ever for me? The 100 story Hancock Tower in Chicago. As soon as I was up there, I wanted to leave. Forget looking at people below, and the cars were dots. It was like being in an airplane, high up--monotony. And, the wind caused the building, or the rooftop floor, to actually move, or it felt that way. The wind hitting the seams in the windows created a slight "whistling" sound.

In Manhattan, go to the Citizen M Hotel in the Bowery District. 20 floors up, indoor or out, in lower Manhattan with its 360 degree views (reasonable room rates as few know about this hotel). The Whitney Museum upper outdoor deck is fun too. And Boston? It's only really looking south and a bit west, though at about the same height--the new Raffles Hotel bars and restaurants on the 19th floor. LA? Not the 73 story Korean Airlines building rooftop. You get bored with that, or I did. And with Portland's new tower, on a clear fall day? Mt. Washington on one side, the harbor and islands on the other. It could become a BIG deal. Build baby build.
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It's the harbor view north and south that will be stunning for sure.

But what's exciting will be seeing Mt Washington. It was always a treat to see driving down Whites Bridge Road in Windham. It might end up being highly photographed from the new tower.

If they CAN build 30 stories, they SHOULD. If they can build even higher - they should. Anything less than 20 here will be SAD.

It's also cool to see the other potential skyline if additional towers were built to height. This tower wouldn't stand out so badly. I'd LOVE to see a new Portland skyline.
 
NR2Portland said:
View attachment 62957
Many have complained/worried about this sticking out like a sore thumb or “ruining the skyline” which is such a pathetic complaint. Everything starts somewhere. Lots of people like the aesthetic of the steps up to the tallest building in a skyline. I outlined what Portland may see in the next 10 years. Some a little more far fetched, others in the process of being built, all that have been discussed in this forum! Looks like this tower could lead the way to those larger steps instead of a shorter, stubby stump leading up to the Casco then falling off which we have now!
Click to expand...
This is massively helpful in telling the story - as well as depicting the approved heights as is.

This could be a gorgeous new skyline if ever built. Honestly ... it's way overdue.

If only Midtown were built as originally proposed (I think 16 stories?), though it would be behind the Portland ridge.
 
For years, the Eiffel Tower stood out like a giant sore thumb in Paris. And if you analyze it a bit, it's like a steel skeleton for an unfinished building, so originally not that beautiful. This will become Portland's Eiffel Tower, though without the initial ugly aspect (aforementioned).

(I have a friend who is a base jumper and now wing suit flyer who did a base jump within the Eiffel Tower platforms. Google: Jeb Corliss, Eiffel Tower jump.)
 
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TC_zoid said:
For years, the Eiffel Tower stood out like a giant sore thumb in Paris. And if you analyze it a bit, it's like a steel skeleton for an unfinished building, so originally not that beautiful. This will become Portland's Eiffel Tower, though without the initial ugly aspect (aforementioned).

(I have a friend who is a base jumper and now wing suit flyer who did a base jump within the Eiffel Tower platforms. Google: Jeb Corliss, Eiffel Tower jump.)
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Or Portland's Montparnasse Tower (Paris).
 
A little trivia: If the Old Port Square tower gets built at its current height of 380' there is only one other city in the United States with a population of less than 99,000 inhabitants that would have a building taller. There is a 418 foot tower in the small town of Oakbrook Terrace (pop 2700) that is a suburb of Chicago that I'm not counting along with any remote casinos located on tribal property. Any guesses? DZH22 may not even have to do research for this one! :)
 
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DZH22 said:
The Waterline is a graceless pig. It makes this tower look less bad, and having some time to digest it also makes it look less bad. Honestly even if it was built as-is it isn't THAT terrible. Quality execution could go a long way to saving a weird design.
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Agreed on the Waterline.

If this thing had 90 degree corners, I think I'd like it a lot better. The curved/angled edges are still throwing me. But quality materials could make it look better than the renderings regardless of what (if anything) happens in revisions. Especially the wood, which would most likely look warmer in real life and provide a really nice contrast to the brick and stone around it. The "hat" really hasn't bothered me much at all.
 
Portlander said:
A little trivia: If the Old Port Square tower gets built at its current height of 380' there is only one other city in the United States with a population of less than 99,000 inhabitants that would have a building taller. There is a 418 foot tower in the small town of Oakbrook Terrace (pop 2700) that is a suburb of Chicago that I'm not counting along with any remote casinos located on tribal property. Any guesses? DZH22 may not even have to do research for this one! :)
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Gotta be White Plains, NY

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The ONE city I forgot has 7 towers that are 380' or higher.
 
I actually would've assumed New Rochelle, NY. Both are tri-state edge cities that have seen a ton of high rise development in the past decade. New Rochelle passed entitlements reform that essentially pre-approved something like 5,000 new units and told developers "as long as you build to the zoning envelopes we prescribe, we'll administratively approve you and you can go get your building permits". Would never fly anywhere in Maine IMHO, given the density-phobia here.
 
Fitch Bronson said:
I actually would've assumed New Rochelle, NY.
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That city does actually meet the requirements of the question but I was looking for a non suburb city and I should have been more clear in my post. I know, White Plains is borderline but it is a little further away from NYC than New Rochelle and does have a commercial airport. Keeping track of high rise development in satellite/suburb/bedroom communities is difficult. The city I'm looking for truly has its own identity and I was surprised I missed it.
 
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Portlander said:
That city does actually meet the requirements of the question but I was looking for a non suburb city and I should have been more clear in my post. I know, White Plains is borderline but it is a little further away from NYC than New Rochelle and does have a commercial airport. Keeping track of high rise development in satellite/suburb/bedroom communities is difficult. The city I'm looking for truly has its own identity and I was surprised I missed it.
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Atlantic City
 
DZH22 said:
Atlantic City
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(y) My parents used to take me there in the summer when we lived in Philly back in the late 60's which is why I'm annoyed I initially overlooked it.
 
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