Eastern Waterfront

grittys457 said:
Interesting. More of a put that out there for somebody else to do so I doubt it would happen anytime soon if at all

http://www.theforecaster.net/content/p-portland-shipyard-convention-center-forsley-042711
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Looks good to me.

pshipyardconventioncent.jpg
 
While it has its obvious criticisms, the vision is admirable. A convention center has been on the agenda for Portland for a while, just like an aquarium.
 
An aquarium and a convention center should be a priority when the economy turns around....both would bring economic gain for the city
 
I think those projects should be priorities now, to get in place for better economic climate. I think the convention center's proximity to the water would be ideal, and the hotel obviously would be directly tied to it, like the last convention center/hotel (2005), and therefore less dependent on the wider market everyone is always complaining is so saturated (as it would create its own market)
 
Great concept - although Forsley has already received TIF financing for the brewery on this block, and I'm not sure how much more he could squeeze out of the city. It probably goes without saying, but I'd also hope that the architecture gets refined. The sketch looks like a faux-Italian McMansion.

I'm also a bit nervous about the culinary school idea. Setting up a 4-year educational institution is no easy feat - even building a high-rise is an easier task. A culinary school could be successful here, but this guy will need to find some others who could champion the idea, or else it'll consume all of his time and money.

I think that the convention center idea is a lot more realistic, and a higher priority for the downtown area.
 
Why on earth does shipyard not have a brewpub there or somewhere in Portland?

On a side not, I think the Sebago Brewing is going to do a killing at the new location. Really looking forward to that opening up which should be within a month.

The inside of Gingko Blue is lit up a bit now. Just like Walter's looks like a big city restaurant and different from all the other ones intown, so does the look of Gingko.
 
Yep, the architecture is in need of improvement in that rendering, but I suspect it is just a massing model sketch. Hopefully. I don't like the hip roof on the largest of the buildings, which reminds me of the Portland Harbor Hotel in how it attempts to look like a house but on a large scale. Walmart employs the same tactics, with no better success.

Also, its a bit weird the condos in the above rendering are positioned where they are. Are people familiar with the row of houses across the street? Not attractive in the least. But that could change with some work.

Gynko Blue looks fantastic and is a good addition to that spot.

And yes, Shipyard should have a pub in town, especially if it builds a hotel...that would be an attraction and anchor to that end of the Old Port (defined loosely), like Boru's is for the Gorham's Corner area. Speaking of which, Gorham's Corner needs some improvement, and given its ideal location it is somewhat surprising that none has taken place.

Also, while I'm at it, here is an article in Portland Monthly Magazine about One City Center, for which I was interviewed. http://www.portlandmonthly.com/portmag/2011/03/lost-horizon/
 
Story in the Daily Sun about the Shipyard proposal:

http://portlanddailysun.me/node/24945/

Plans for East End development not affected by Thompson's plan, says owner By Matt Dodge May 04, 2011 12:00 am

The co-owner of Shipyard Brewing Co. said that recently announced plans for a $100 million entertainment complex on Thompson?s Point will not necessarily affect his own goal of bringing a convention center, hotel and culinary school to Portland?s East End.

?I see them as majorly different projects,? said Fred Forsley, who unveiled plans for a 300,000- to 600,000-square-foot development adjacent to the brewery?s Newbury Street location last Wednesday.
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Forsely has a prime piece of land....even if the convention center aspect doesnt pan out they way he is proposing, he can certainly fill a need in Portland with that land. The economy might be down now, but that area should be booming when the economy picks up....
 
I really think the Eastern Waterfront could benefit tremendously from a Form Based Code, more than anywhere else in Portland. This area is going to boom again, but if we want quality development, which is an extension of the old port, we need to avoid the controversies that occurred last time with large scale development. I'm not saying development shouldn't be large, just that it should address the walkability concerns of the neighborhood to prevent prolonging what is already a contentious process. FBC might actually speed up the review process, too, and produce exactly the types of buildings we want there, steering larger scale stuff toward Bayside and downtown. Moreover, as part of the regulating plan, new streets can be introduced as requirements, which is good because the City's plan for this area comes in two parts, the preferred plan and a backup plan. The preferred plan shows landowners working together to split up property to reintegrate a street network along the water, producing more urban areas as a result, the second one assumes landowners don't cooperate, and large blocks remain, which is the current status. A FBC would (could) require splitting up new blocks as part of requirements for approval of development plans.
 
Is there any chance a form based code will be enacted? How does The City Council feel about A FBC?
 
Typically FBCs are enacted for districts instead of entire cities, although a few cities have comprehensively overhauled their entire zoning ordinance, name Denver and Miami. I don't think many councilors know what a FBC is (actually, most people don't know what it is). But I think there is definitely some willingness to explore the idea from at least 1/3 of the council with whom I am familiar. It really isn't that different from typical zoning, but the emphasis is on walkability and urban areas, which I think the council supports as general concepts.
 
The new hotel is going really fast now as they wrap up the exterior. They put the signage up for Sebago. It's the on the corner and says "Sebago Brewing" on one side and "Restaurant Brewpub" on the other. The sign along with the interior when open will bring light to a very dark and dull two blocks between the old port and the india street side of restaurants.

Honestly, it would be nice if they actually put a floor in the parking garage retail space. I feel like that and the retail space at Maine Med will never get filled in my lifetime.
 
Per a post yesterday on Munjoy Hill News:

The opening date for the new Hampton Inn has been delayed until July said a source close to the situation this afternoon. Originally scheduled to open the first of June, the date has changed due to delays by suppliers. The Sebago Brewing Company restaurant remains on track to open over the Memorial Day weekend with the condominium units to open this August.
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Seems like the building came together so fast, looking back now. I agree Grittys, the restaurant on the corner will really help bridge the current restaurant (and general pedestrian activity) gap between the Old Port and the India Street areas.

Upon a quick search of the internets, it appears that the retail space in the Ocean Gateway Garage is offered for lease at $18 per square foot. I don't know if that is pricey or not for the area. And per this site, a 2,100 square foot space in the Maine Med garage is $3,500 a month / $20 per square foot.
 
So tonight I drove by and they had the sebago lights lit up. Backlit and not as bright as I thought. They also hung the two Hampton signs on the corner and each one has a square sebago logo sign under them. Those should light up nicely.

Gingko blue looks ready to open in the next few days and I like how that big bright shelf looks with all the bottles on them. Like I said before, Walter's and Gingko Blue really stepped up the urban modern design where nobody else has tried it really in portland.
 
grittys457 said:
So tonight I drove by and they had the sebago lights lit up. Backlit and not as bright as I thought. They also hung the two Hampton signs on the corner and each one has a square sebago logo sign under them. Those should light up nicely.

Gingko blue looks ready to open in the next few days and I like how that big bright shelf looks with all the bottles on them. Like I said before, Walter's and Gingko Blue really stepped up the urban modern design where nobody else has tried it really in portland.
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Ginko Blue opens May 27. Hampton looks nice with the lights, I agree. We should meet for a beer sometime Gritty's, perhaps at one of these new venues.
 
Patrick said:
Ginko Blue opens May 27. Hampton looks nice with the lights, I agree. We should meet for a beer sometime Gritty's, perhaps at one of these new venues.
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You should organize the first annual ArchBoston -Greater New England - Portland meetup.

Easter Waterfront / Bay House related. I am noticing more grass growing in this lot this year, looks slightly nicer than before:

may2011portlandmaineeas.jpg
 
Yeah lets do it. Day works best, or weeknight evenings. Coffee or beer or whatever. Sounds cool.

About the Bay House, does anyone know how the planning board voted on last night's extension of site plan approval request? The best way to fix that property is to build something on it. Lets not let perfection be the enemy of improvement.
 
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