Old Port Square (née Canal Plaza) | Portland

Another suggestion I saw that the planning staff made that I can agree with: add a direct entrance to the cafe on the northeast corner (top left in the plans as we have them). That would point towards the alley from Exchange St. near Novare Res, and makes a lot of sense to me.
 
Portlander said:
The King's Wharf tower proposal has been discussed and delayed since 2016 and is no closer to being built than the Old Port Square project. It is also located in Dartmouth, not Halifax and Mark could redraw the new boundary if necessary down the center of the river that separates the two cities. :)
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You wouldn't even have to do that, they've both been part of the same city since 1996, when Halifax, Dartmouth, and Bedford were all amalgamated, along with the rest of Halifax County, into Halifax Regional Municipality.
 
I was actually visiting Halifax in 1996 when this amalgamation was starting to take effect and too bad we couldn't merge South Portland and Westbrook into the "Portland Regional Municipality"! :)
 
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Did anyone have a chance to read this article today? Anything new? I don't have an online subscription to the Press Herald and they don't actually print the paper on Monday.
 

At 380 feet, the proposed tower on Union Street in Portland would be the tallest building in Maine. It is meant to resemble a lighthouse beacon. (Courtesy of Safdie Architects) A developer is laying the groundwork for what would be the tallest building in Maine history — a bold new addition to Portland’s skyline.

Here’s what we know so far about the proposal, its timeline and whether it’s likely to happen.

Q: What is the project?​

A: The proposal at 45 Union St. is for a mixed-use, high-rise planned for the heart of the Old Port. If built as envisioned, the tower would rise 30 stories and stand about 350 to 380 feet tall.

The tower is part of a larger project known as Old Port Square, which would occupy an entire city block — bounded by Fore, Union and Middle streets — and would include residential units, commercial space and possibly a hotel component.

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The Portland-based developer, East Brown Cow Management LLC, has already acquired the land and been through one round of review from city staff. The developer says its vision for the project includes pedestrian pathways, outdoor seating and newly planted trees.

On Sept. 23, the proposal came before the Portland Planning Board for an initial review. The developer will likely submit an updated proposal later this fall based on the feedback it received.

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Q: Is this a sure thing?​

A: Not at all — at least not yet. The proposal is still in its early stages and has not received formal approval from the city. In fact, the application is still under review, which means it hasn’t even entered the official permitting process.

The project will face a number of hurdles, including site plan review, compliance with zoning regulations and a public hearing, where local residents and stakeholders can voice concerns.

In short, the building is far from a done deal — it still needs to navigate a lengthy and complex public process.

Matt Grooms, the city’s deputy director of planning and urban development, said the proposal complies with zoning and land use laws. At this point, he says it’s likely that if all continues to go smoothly, the project will be approved by the planning board.

Q: So what are the next steps?​

A: Once the developer submits an updated proposal, incorporating feedback from the planning board, city staff will review it again.

Then, the planning board will consider the project twice more. At an initial workshop session, the board will examine the building’s height, architectural compatibility, land use and environmental factors. In a second workshop, the board will focus solely on the project’s potential impact on traffic.

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Once the city and planning board determine all is in order, the planning board will sign off on the project. There will be an opportunity for public comment at both planning board meetings.

It’s unclear when the planning board will revisit the proposal, but Grooms said it will likely be in the next three to six months.

“If the project is complying with zoning requirements and (the developers) are able to respond to both board and staff feedback, then the board is obligated to approve the project,” Grooms said.

If approved, the developer would still need to secure building permits, finalize financing and begin work on detailed construction documents. The timeline for those steps can vary widely.

A view of the proposed Old Port Square tower from the corner of Middle and Union streets in Portland. (Courtesy of Safdie Architects)

Q: Why now?​

A: Portland recently updated its zoning laws through a yearslong “ReCode” project. The project wrapped late last year, and with its completion came changes to laws about how tall buildings can be in some central neighborhoods, including the Old Port.

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Previously, the maximum building height in the city was 220 feet. Now, it’s 380 feet.

Portland’s Plan 2030, the city’s comprehensive strategy for the coming years, laid out goals for the city’s future, including significant new housing development, climate resilience and easier access to public transportation. Those plans prompted the updates to the zoning laws.

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With limited space on the peninsula, developers are increasingly looking to build up rather than out. East Brown Cow said in a written statement that it hopes the building will contribute positively to the city’s downtown.

“With the design of both the building and landscape intended to source local materials, evoke quintessentially Maine-based craftsmanship and design motifs, and achieve focused environmental goals, the project aims to contribute to Portland’s evolving urban landscape, both for current and future generations,” the developer wrote.

Grooms said the proposal aligns with the vision that the ReCode project was intended to foster.

“It would bring new residences downtown in an area that is walkable, connected to public transportation, and it provides that 24/7 vibrancy that the city called for downtown,” said Grooms.

He also noted that the developer’s application doesn’t propose any additional off-street parking, which aligns with the city’s sustainability goals.

“The city is actively working toward shifting away from automobile-centered development,” he said.

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Q: How much could it cost?​

A: The developer hasn’t publicly disclosed an estimated cost for the project, and it’s likely too early for a firm number anyway. However, for context, Portland’s current tallest building — an 18-story apartment building known as The Casco, completed in 2023 — had a price tag of around $64 million. The Union Street proposal is larger and more complex.

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The final cost will depend heavily on factors such as material prices, design finishes, foundation complexity and construction timelines — all of which remain in flux at this stage.

Q: How long would construction take?​

A: Once all approvals are secured and construction begins, the project could take three to four years to complete. That timeline would include excavation, foundation work, core structure and interior buildout.

But before any of that can happen, the developer must clear the regulatory process, finalize financing and prepare the site. Construction likely wouldn’t begin before late 2026 or 2027, pushing the tower’s potential opening to 2030 or later. Delays — whether from legal challenges, labor shortages or market conditions — could easily extend that timeline.

The Old Port Square proposal could signal a new chapter in Portland’s development story — but for now, it remains just that: a proposal. Whether it ultimately redefines the city’s skyline or fades into the background of unrealized plans remains to be seen.
 
Robert Kahn has a rant in today's paper. I'm not going to spend a gift link on it, but here's the closing.

The hard sell of reassuring voices will soon be heard to accept this proposed monument as important to Portland’s future. So when thinking of picking an analogy, Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” seems apt.

As in the trilogy, we will hear proponents of this overbearing proposed colossus using Saruman’s voice to render us under an enchanted spell to believe in the magic of its dominating presence. Focusing our vision on one dominant object, we will be assured, is needed for our sense of well-being, happiness and Portland’s elevation to urban stardom.

But the glow from the top of the dark tower casting its shadow across the land will not be a welcoming beacon to those of us below. It will be Sauron, the Eye, “watching us from the high
place within his privileged tower. One building to rule them all.”
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www.pressherald.com

Proposed tower does not match Portland’s character or identity | Opinion

Far from an urban lighthouse (really?), this 30-story building would be a violent, nonconforming intrusion.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com
 
The privileged tower with a (presumably) publicly accessible restaurant and bar on top? I'll bet he's up there cosplaying Sauron within the first week. At one time the peninsula's identity was grass and trees - who gets to decide when and where the identity of a place stops evolving?
 
It will all collapse when someone throws the One Ring into the spot on the Presumpscot where they had the landslide a few years ago. (Hey, it's not like we have any volcanoes around...)

More seriously, the city leaders would serve the community better by pursuing industrial employers who pay better wages for manual jobs, rather than cheering every time such an establishment is converted to a weed store.
 
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Article in today's Mainebiz. These are some of the highlights raised by the planning board and the developer will attempt to address them as the process moves forward. "Eyesore" was one of the comments used to describe the project by an unhappy resident.
 
Some of the other comments were that fact they were building condos for the rich... great socialists comments expecting affordable apartments for the poor and unhoused. Again, go get the financing, find a developer, buy land, go through the planning process and see the real world on how much it costs to build a project.
 
That portion of the sidewalk on Union Street where the "drive aisle" entrance is planned is routinely void of pedestrians and has always been kind of a dead zone so I think the safety concerns are ridiculous. Now Congress Street at High, that's more of a concern.
 
The 'drive aisle' is already used as an entrance/exit for the garage and parking lot, has it been an issue? But what is the delta? How spaces in the parking lot are transitioning to a garage space? How many spaces are reserved in the garage (ie currently used as public spaces)? How many will use the Fore St entrance instead of Union St?
 
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