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They received a "framework plan" approval, which allows some wiggle room but still requires some additional review for specific projects inside that framework before they break ground. My hunch is that if this proposal were bigger than the building in the framework plan it might be an issue, but...

It looks like this would only occupy the corner of the block, and not extend all the way to Pearl Street. That would explain why the "Pearl" elevation is a big blank wall, which otherwise wouldn't be allowed in Portland's zoning code. Similarly, the blank ground-floor wall on the "Congress"...

I've always wondered if a lot of the facade is still there under the stucco. On Congress, you can still see the granite columns are intact on either side of Moody Lords...

Are you guys joking? Off the top of my head I can think of half a dozen independent coffee shops within a block of this site: Bard, Arabica, HiFi, Burkes, The Works, 88 Donuts... The Middle Street Starbucks shut down because they got out-competed by better coffee places, but I'm sure they'd...

This site would also be an obvious candidate for up-zoning to the R7 zone, which would allow even more housing there

^ Most of the new owners' portfolio consists of older affordable housing properties, and it looks like they tend to renovate instead of tearing down for redevelopment. But the site has crazy potential so maybe they've got other ideas here? Worth noting that even if they demolish the complex and...

Actually there is some good news on this one: the draft "recode" re-zoning would give this superblock a huge up-zoning, raising the maximum height from 125' currently (link) to 325' in the new proposed downtown height map (page 28 of this PDF)

Y'all need to take everything Jon Jennings promised with a sports-arena-sized grain of salt. That man was profoundly inexperienced, narcissistic, and legendary for failing to follow through on his schemes – many of which involved non-existent sports venues. Before he was city manager, in 2011...

So let me get this right: people who ride buses and bikes are in an all-powerful mafia and they're trying to force you onto a city bus – maybe even as we speak! – "which can compromise health and safety" (not sure I understand this part, when car owners are the state's biggest source of air...

I think that project is supposed to reduce the risks of high tides backing up and bubbling up through the storm drains on Marginal Way and Somerset Street, but I believe the FEMA maps reflect the risks of surface water flowing in through Exit 7 and Exit 5 during storm surges (which is...

Agreed it's a weird buyer, but on the other hand, redevelopment anywhere along Marginal/Somerset is going to be a long shot until the City/MaineDOT commit to a new design for Franklin and deal with the flood risks through the I-295 exits by elevating all those streets by 10-15 feet. This is the...

The multi-billion dollar subsidies for free highways and free parking aren't enough for you? :rolleyes:

Portland's zoning code no longer requires *any* on-site parking for sites within 1/2 mile of a METRO route – which applies here (and in most of the city). I have no way of knowing whether this is the case, but I'd just note that this is being built on a lot that's already being used for parking...

I got some photos of the Maine Mall parking lot on Black Friday – allegedly the busiest shopping day of the year:

Oh no if we build affordable housing Portland might be less attractive to people from away and snobby boomers from North Yarmouth

To be sure, other civil engineering firms put their names on similar dreck, but Gorrill-Palmer isn't just doing the engineering, they're also doing the site design with their in-house landscape architects. Look at their past projects – almost all of them are strip malls, cul-de-sac...

Traffic concerns are obviously going to be a huge issue when your development is a car-oriented mess of suburban sprawl like this proposal: These consultants, Gorrill-Palmer, have a terrible reputation. I remember about 15 years ago they produced a "traffic plan" for Portland that suggested...

I'd have to check, but it might be awfully difficult – if not outright impossible – to try and get planning approval for a new surface parking lot in the B3 zone one block away from Congress Street. Drive-thrus are also prohibited – this one is grandfathered, but hard to see how it would be...

Probably more valuable than they were 10 years ago, but I don't think these lots are appreciating as fast as other parts of the city, thanks to worsening outlooks for flooding and sea level rise in this neighborhood. Even in the first version of this project, the developers were going to spend...

The last wholesale warehouse on inner Washington might be up for sale soon. The owners of Northern Burner, across the street from Amvets and next to the Eastern Prom, have announced their retirement and are merging their operations into The Granite Group near Cash Corner in South Portland...