General Portland Discussion

[PlantArch]

Portland unveils plans to revitalize Congress Street amid growing safety concerns

I do get there are legitimate safety concerns in the area, but to call what they're proposing a 'revitalization' is laughable. As far as I can tell they're proposing: a different approach for city staff in dealing with the homeless, 'safety measures and tools', a (one?) new bike share station, the return of the arts market? Seasonal outdoor seating? Interest free loans for businesses to update storefronts? I would say the city is doing the bare minimum, but I think it's even less than that. No mention of lighting, at the very least? Come on...

That was exactly my impression. As one with 40 years experience in designing public spaces I laughed at the thought that this was going to have anything but a negative effect on the area. Who do they think is going to be occupying those seasonal seats? It will be those they would rather encourage to move out of the area. Again in typical Portland fashion it is lipstick on a pig.

 

[PWMFlyer]

Again, a kneejerk response to something that should have been done 4 years ago, but with Covid it, the problem increased.
There are positives that no one talks about?
465 Congress Street Hotel Conversion
Portland Public Market Conversion to Maine Public
Starbucks on upper Congress to a new Coffee hangout
Herald Sq project
Live nation project
477 Time & Temp building
511 office to apartment conv.
To curb these issues, fix the lights that have been out for 4 years
Go after Cross Jewelers for boarding up there storefront. Who approved this? I doubt it went to the Historic Cmm
Artist studios should occupy vacant stores
Bring back Alive at 5, Farmers Market, close down congress street for art walk, bring back the Sidewalk Art festival by Channel 6
Fire the current Downtown District Director.... what has been done?

 

[TC_zoid]

Creative enthusiastic residents with a proper work ethic make a city great. If many are wandering around on crank and flakka and fentanyl, I don't see a revitalization. I see this behavior all over the country now. Why would it change if we don't address it?

 

[Portlander]

Sadly, on my walk around downtown scenes like this are becoming more common on Congress Street. Broad daylight in front of what used to be Maine's premier office building there is open drug use, profanity and total lack of civility. In addition, the litter, graffiti and smell of urine along the street was appalling with zero police presence all the way up to Longfellow Square. Portland is no longer immune to the social deterioration and blight that plagues most other cities across the country and if we don't get a grasp on solving these issues my hometown could reach the point of no return just like Trenton, Lawrence, Camden, Wheeling, Pine Bluff, Gary and Bridgeport to name a few.

Props to the Downtown District for keeping Monument Square tidy (though there was not one Ambassador in sight today) but it needs to extend towards Congress Square in my opinion. My family is arriving next month for a visit and I would be ashamed to drive my 88 year old mother down her favorite street growing up let alone taking her for a walk along Congress. The tourist friendly portion of downtown Portland sharply ends at Monument Square and with the exception of the Portland Museum of Art, Springers and the Westin there is little reason to explore westward. And why has that decrepit leaning former bank sign not been removed from the sidewalk?

 

[TC_zoid]

Thank you for posting this brave picture. If you go to Google Street view images from this location appear that aren't much different. I'd copy the recent NY Times article and post it as a slide show, but I don't want to make everyone in our blog cry. There is seriously failed leadership in Portland! I had no idea it was this bad. When I'm in town, I usually spend my time in the Old Port and waterfront areas. Isn't using illegal drugs illegal? Apparently, it's allowed on the streets and in the heart of the city. I like to joke about the condition of other cities in the country because I do so much traveling, and now I guess I have to include my hometown. City "leadership" has not only defunded the police, but they have taken away the spirit of it to do its job. Patrols with pairs of officers should be walking around and arresting those who break the law. Perhaps taking this image and creating fliers with profile pictures at the bottom of all the city counselors, the manager, and mayor in a kind of smiling team montage "thanking them" for this tragedy might be one way to go. I would not be surprised now to see 60 Minutes do a piece on Portland. Anderson Cooper would not be kind.

Obviously, the Portland Press Herald has lost its courage in becoming a crucial source of journalism for the people. How symbolic--even the clock sign on the sidewalk has graffiti and it's leaning, like a drunk on the sidewalk. Portlander, if you give me permission to use your photo with the proper wording underneath, I will spend up to 5K to publish it, somewhere. But then again, it would create more publicity and it can work against you too. Obviously, the PPH has lost its guts and those who truly love Portland need to take charge. A properly run city must remove people from public areas if it infringes upon the rights of others. And how ironic it is too, that the PPH posted an expansive feature this week praising Fore Street restaurant, of which I think, is the key historical point for Portland having become a destination city for food and drink offerings. It looks like the city has another "accolade" on the way... "Number 1 fastest decline city in America."

I was wondering why condo prices in Portland have gone down and single family homes off the peninsula have gone up so exorbitantly.

 

[Portlander]

Patrols with pairs of officers should be walking around and arresting those who break the law.

Could not agree with you more and I think the Mayor (former Cumberland County Sheriff) and the director of the Downtown District are considering bringing foot patrols back to Congress Street which would help as long as they are proactive. I would prefer if you didn't use this particular photo because I'd rather not incriminate any individual that may be not be involved in anything other than loitering. I just needed to vent this morning after witnessing first hand what the local media has been reporting concerning the continued decline of Congress Street, thanks.

 

[Portlander]

"Number 1 fastest decline city in America."

I think things are still salvageable and Portland is safe from showing up on this list any time soon. The rehab of the "Time & Temperature" and "Fidelity" buildings are vital to the revitalization of that stretch of Congress Street and the developers need to get these two projects underway.

 

[DesertMaineiac]

Unfortunately, thank you for posting the above pic for us to commiserate over or discuss. I made my annual pilgramage back to Portland the other week and like all of us with an eye for observation around the city. The last few years I noticed the homeless encampments that the city was working on removing, which seems to have had some success. But what I noticed is what others have mentioned. I could not get over the amount of loiterers along Congress Street, Marginal Way, and near Deering Oaks. The panhandlers were out along the exits of 295, but noticed them around 302 and Riverside Drive too near the new shelter. On two occasions during the morning I noticed city staff breaking up groups of homeless under bridges along 295. What I found alarming was the growing amount of graffiti throughout the city on buildings, walls, signs and telephone poles. Worse than I can remember or recall. Never a good precursor.

Driving down Congress Street past Monument Square toward Maine Med was clearly an area in decline. No wonder the office buidlings can't attract tenants and Reny's wants the lease to expire. The state tree could be switched to a 'For Lease' sign, which are everywhere. A family, I'd guess from out of town, was waiting to cross at Congress and High Streets and looked visibly troubled about which way to cross to avoid undesirables on both sides of the street. All I remember a few years back when the Westin wanted to build event/conference space on Congress Square Park and the outrage of losing that space and trying to come up with ways to activate that space. Fast forward to present. You turned a tax generating use that would bring people downtown and at the current rate the Westin flag could be lost due to a decaying situation. The Longfellow Hotel had a lot of fanfare for opening, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to stay right around it. And the Musuem of Art's plan to spend 10's of millions and give a reason for more people to come downtown, let's find a way to kill that too. New concert space and venue to come downtown? Let's make sure to roadblock that. At the rate its going fewer people will want to go to the State Theater and dinner nearby. A few years back many said the city staff and council were all shills for the developers and the change we got were policies to penalize, add delays to the development process, and moratoriums to those looking to bring money into the city. I hope there is still a focus on turning non-profit and underutilized parcels into higher tax generating parcels. Hopefully, the Re-Code efforts and additional height allowances will help. Building condos for wealthy out of town residents to live in a portion of the year? Great. Add to the tax base and not utilize or burden hardly any city services? Seems better than the alternative. Observing city hall's policies, inabilities, and lack of elected leadership is disheartening. Almost like shooting yourself in the foot and then stopping to reload. Hard to beleive that the mayor is the ex-sherriff and has citizens and business owners saying areas of his city are becoming no-go zones. Do we beleive the city will be effective in the correction efforts?

And while we can come up with a laundry list of items to complain about, there are many bright spots. I still believe the city has the ability to continue to grow and be one of the renowned small cities in the country (with a decent sized metro). City and developer focus centered on the Old Port and eastern waterfront out to the old B&M plant is paying dividends and looks good. I am impressed with the new national retailers that are bullish on, and locating along, Middle Street. This is where visitors want to be and spend time. From Franklin Arterial along Fore around the Eastern Prom really plays on the city's current and scenic strengths. Redevelopment and new uses, like the proposed music hall, Herald Square, and the Casco generate an interest and energy as people want to experience what is new and the synergy associated with it. The City can then focus efforts on revitalizing Congress Street. They did it back in the 90's with a focus on retail. Now the focus will be housing. There are great developers in the city, such as Redfern, that can, and have, delivered as many have pointed out. That is where I put my hope and that they can push forward and take the risks in carrying the city forward.

We're often critical in this forum because we care, and we want the best for this special city and its potential. I still like the prior marketing line- Portland. How Maine does a city. The state has tens of thousands of square miles of rural land, can we just have a few square miles to try to achive a truly positive urban experience without constant pushback?! We hope that many of these bold proposals, along with smaller infill projects, come to fruition. It's why we follow this forum. As it is said in The Shawshank Redemption, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies"!

 

[Portlander]

Well written DesertMaineiac and you have my vote if you decide to run for Mayor upon your hopeful return home to Portland someday!

 

[TC_zoid]

This is primarily an enforcement problem. Homelessness on the streets, the proverbial "bum asking for change," has always been around. Defacing property with graffiti is a crime. Selling and purchasing and using illegal drugs is a crime. Police need to get back to walking the streets in pairs and arrest anyone breaking the law. Facilities with cots and a foot locker will not work to reduce homelessness numbers. Everyone requires privacy and some form of safe community to be content. Houston, Texas is a city of over 2 million, and I travel here often. I would estimate that their homeless numbers are less than Portland's. I rarely see anyone giving off this image on the street, and I rent cars and have driven around much of it. Examine what they have done and apply accordingly. As Portland continues to worsen, businesses and the people will simply go somewhere else. I see areas like The Downs and yes, even the inconsistencies of planning with Rock Row becoming more and more popular. Learn from history. Giuliani cleaned up Times Square by being tough. (I would assume Houston also acts tough.) He might have lost his mind now (oh yeah), but back then New Yorkers loved him for it. Portland needs someone tough like this. Or maybe it's not possible in today's "don't offend" or "don't risk a lawsuit" environment. Be tough, but give people options. They will naturally gravitate to the less painful one as their minds are primarily operating in the limbic system.

Freud said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

 

[cneal]

Freud said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

Lots of cities have tried arresting homeless people, over and over and over again. It doesn't work, and in fact, there's clear evidence that it makes it harder for homeless people to find housing, jobs, or manage addiction problems (obviously).

Portland tried a "surge" of policing in Bayside during the tenure of disgraced former city manager Jon Jennings. This was *seven* years ago. Did it solve homelessness? Of course not:
https://www.pressherald.com/2018/09/17/bayside-feeling-effects-of-police-crackdown/

Here's a more recent article from Augusta. Even the police chief admits it's "unproductive" (and lots of beat cops will tell you that its demoralizing to arrest the same people over and over again – not many people want this job):
https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/0...usta-arrests-homeless-people-its-not-working/

Law enforcement officials point to their responsibility to respond to more than 500 trespassing-related calls they have received from residents and business owners...

One-third of the Augusta Police Department’s 382 arrests from January through mid-May resulted in a homeless person being charged with at least one crime, arrest records obtained by the Kennebec Journal showed. At that pace, a homeless person would be charged with at least one crime by Augusta police a staggering 335 times by the end of 2025. That’s almost once per day.

Augusta police estimate that 50-60 people in Augusta are homeless.

Despite prolific arrest numbers, law enforcement efforts have been unproductive, police Chief Kevin Lully said in a June 16 memo.

“We have not identified a defined place for the unhoused to go, and therefore the Officers/City Staff are in a cyclical pattern of repeatedly responding to numerous private and public properties,” Lully wrote.

 

[markhb]

A couple of notes:

1. Portland never defunded the police; they've got a ton of openings (with signing bonuses) that they can't fill. And I would argue that administering Narcan to the same individuals week after week is probably at least as demoralizing as arresting them, if not more.
2. I don't know if it's the specific people in Portlander's photo, but as the mayor said a month ago when David Turin was raising attention to the situation, there is a core group of people who just refuse services. Conflating them with the mom who lost her job and is living with her kids in the car is a poor way to characterize the problem.
3. Rudy Giuliani was mentioned for his work to clean up Times Square. Let's not forget that before that, he was a US Attorney who got the mob out of the garbage and concrete businesses in NYC. His decline is heartbreaking.
4. RIP Bob Ganley. The city was on its best track forward when he was city manager and Mike Chitwood was the police chief.

 

[DesertMaineiac]

This kind of discussion does a good job of raising possible ideas while allowing for some venting. If you build, or tolerate, it they will come. If you look at the city's employment page a majority of the positions posted are for housing and human services and have been for some time. Tough positions to keep filled. I am not sure if you throw more money at the problem it will address it as if you continue to expand social services more will come to take advantage of it and be around others in the same plight. Enforcement needs to be the priority and not look the other direction and say every city deals with this. Don't let the issue gain momentum to worsen, because it will as people will get fed up and leave and drive out money for development. You can copy aspects that have been successful in other areas, but this is Portland's problem and Portland needs to deal with it. It starts with elected officials. Perhaps ones who will run on a platform of public safety and civic pride, around Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs focused on the safety and security for your residents and not just the top of that pyramid. It's right that you will likely not drop homelessness to 0, but you can't let it continue to worsen. Much of this is a national issue with muliple factors, but it gets addressed at a local level. When it reaches a point of critical mass it will be adddressed. Perhaps the wake up call is now being heard.

Portland needs to prepared for when you're no longer the trendy travel destination to visit, not showing up on Top 10 lists, and those that have visited have moved on to explore other areas that now make those lists. The recent NY Times article and negative commenters of the city on social media will have an impact. Those are seen. Stop giving oxygen to the negative energy that comes from people in rural Maine and District 2 saying Portland is a liberal disaster. If the electeds aren't smart enough to figure it out, then why not some local business leaders (Chamber or other) who may have resources or political clout to force the issues to be addressed. Call the group 'The Lightkeepers,' or something, for all I care. Focus on public and business safety, continued gentrification, new development, and what makes Portland unique from the rest of the state. Point to the levels of money being spent and invested on new development due to a demand not seen in the rest of the state as a story to tell. Prepare for the next upcoming chapter when you're not the hip travel destination in creating continued downtown housing and unique urban amenities not found elsewhere in the state.

 

[TC_zoid]

Careless drug use will always remain for this segment of the population, or almost any other. The key is to get the drug use indoors, or away from others. If someone wants to live their life this way, then let them. But not in the middle of the city where safety is an issue. Addiction requires a constant flow of money, and for most or many it's frequently found from stealing or robbing innocents (mugging).

The fix: homeless in tiny micro single room single occupant housing in certain areas of the city. There are many new ideas or types out there now. The bathrooms can be community shared. Most or many MUST do drugs to cope with their lives, like many of us. This way, the drug use is confined to this tiny structure. And in communities of these, they can trade places to be near their friends. They also do not have to worry about their possessions being stolen now. If you interview or speak with homeless and their addiction, this always comes up. Where can I drink (or use my favorite drug) in relative peace? Another option can be created with even better micro housing (their own bath) as long as they agree to work part-time jobs that are arranged through counseling centers. This was done in lower Manhattan years ago. I'm not talking about the old S.R.O.'s, though in the 80s and 90s apparently they worked (kind of like a youth hostel model only for addicts and ex-cons). Also, a youngish and creative woman--she was profiled in a feature on 60 Minutes a while back--was able to pull together a partnership of several companies with unskilled job positions available to homeless as a barter for free housing (NYC) that she helped created. In theory is works, or if those involved want it to. Homeboy Bakeries in LA does something similar with Latino gang members. They are helped with housing, etc. if they work there. I think its up to over 400 employees now. It's better that they are in there baking than on the street dealing and using drugs. It's worked, or for some.

 

[PlantArch]

View attachment 64839
Sadly, on my walk around downtown scenes like this are becoming more common on Congress Street. Broad daylight in front of what used to be Maine's premier office building there is open drug use, profanity and total lack of civility. In addition, the litter, graffiti and smell of urine along the street was appalling with zero police presence all the way up to Longfellow Square. Portland is no longer immune to the social deterioration and blight that plagues most other cities across the country and if we don't get a grasp on solving these issues my hometown could reach the point of no return just like Trenton, Lawrence, Camden, Wheeling, Pine Bluff, Gary and Bridgeport to name a few.

Props to the Downtown District for keeping Monument Square tidy (though there was not one Ambassador in sight today) but it needs to extend towards Congress Square in my opinion. My family is arriving next month for a visit and I would be ashamed to drive my 88 year old mother down her favorite street growing up let alone taking her for a walk along Congress. The tourist friendly portion of downtown Portland sharply ends at Monument Square and with the exception of the Portland Museum of Art, Springers and the Westin there is little reason to explore westward. And why has that decrepit leaning former bank sign not been removed from the sidewalk?

If you think this is bad try Hanover Street near the Armature and down around Preble. The street is often blocked by groups and there are piles of trash everywhere with blatant open use of drugs. It's a bit like bedlum.

 

[Portlander]

Agree, and Portland Street is probably the worst and that is with a Community Policing office on site which I think is still active?

 

[nomc]

Agree, and Portland Street is probably the worst and that is with a Community Policing office on site which I think is still active?

They have an office there? Isn't that what they just proposed in the revitalization plan for Congress? Does that mean it's going to work?