Design Guidelines for Portland?s
Eastern Waterfront
Adopted by the Waterfront Development and Master Planning Committee on January 23, 2002
Introduction
The redevelopment of the Eastern Waterfront provides a unique opportunity for the City of Portland. The construction of a world-class marine passenger terminal in one of the East Coast's premiere deepwater ports will spur interest and vitality in a neglected and underutilized portion of Portland's urban waterfront. Development will serve to integrate the working waterfront, commercial business areas and the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. For integration to be successful, thoughtful, high quality design for all aspects of construction is imperative. With care and attention paid to details and quality, the design of streets, buildings, open space, parking, and changes to the water's edge will contribute to the value of public and private property and the quality of life for Portland residents.
These Design Guidelines have three intended applications: (1) As an evaluative framework for City sponsored projects or projects located on City controlled land, (2) As a handbook for private developers to comply with the City's vision for the Eastern Waterfront, and (3) As a policy basis for future zoning and land use ordinance changes for the Eastern Waterfront.
The public process for the Waterfront Development and Master Planning Committee demonstrated a clear desire by Portland citizens that the Eastern Waterfront become a benefit to City residents. The Master Plan, along with these Guidelines, promotes development that will be an asset, not a liability, to the surrounding neighborhoods and community at large. By adhering to the following criteria, public and private development can respect the concerns, hard work and wisdom of the Citizens of Portland, and create the greatest possible public benefit.
A. Streets
Purpose
Design guidelines for streets in the Eastern Waterfront encourage the retention and expansion of a pedestrian-scaled street grid. The surrounding neighborhoods of the Old Port, India Street and Munjoy Hill generally have a walkable, small block street system that provides a comfortable, safe and enjoyable pedestrian environment. This traditional street block system allows for efficient and flexible vehicular circulation for residents, visitors and the working waterfront, while retaining options for traffic management to reduce negative impacts on existing neighborhoods. The street guidelines outlined below provide for an expanded street network that will (1) connect the Eastern Waterfront Redevelopment Area with the city fabric of Portland, (2) provide appropriately scaled streets for the expected vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and (3) encourage pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development in the Eastern Waterfront.
Guidelines
1. Public Streets
Public Streets should provide the primary vehicle and pedestrian circulation infrastructure for the Eastern Waterfront. Public and private development should use the existing street grid as a framework and should expand the public street network as necessary to provide circulation for new development. Development of new and extended streets should generally be kept in scale with the existing street network found along Portland?s waterfront and Munjoy Hill neighborhoods.
Note: The design and construction of public streets need to comply with the City Public Works Technical Standards.
2. Appropriate Street Design
New streets should be designed to accommodate expected vehicles and pedestrians safely and efficiently while encouraging appropriate speeds. Streets should provide on-street parking along curb lines wherever possible to provide a buffer between pedestrians and moving traffic and to serve the retail, residential and commercial uses in the area.
a. Suggested Street Hierarchy
For the purpose of these guidelines, Primary Streets include: Commercial Street and its extension; Fore Street, India Street, Hancock Street and its extension; and Middle Street between India and Franklin Arterial. Secondary Streets include: Mountfort Street; Middle Street between India Street and Hancock Street; and other new streets within the Central Redevelopment Area that are not extensions of existing streets.
b. Street Sections
Please refer to the attached street section drawings and associated Street Hierarchy key map for the application of suggested street sections within the eastern waterfront. These drawings illustrate a hierarchy of primary and secondary streets that reflect their intended character and uses. Additionally, there are two section drawings showing a proposed Commercial Street design adjacent to the vehicle queuing area and adjacent to the small vessel support area.
3. Sidewalks
Sidewalks are key to defining streets as civic places. Sidewalks should be provided along both sides of all streets and should be wide enough to accommodate visiting and residential pedestrians comfortably and safely. The pedestrian environment should be further enhanced through the use of fixed street furniture, compatible and consistent lighting, and street trees. Sidewalk cafes, temporary art installations, and seasonal lighting are encouraged along public sidewalks as a means to encourage the year round activity.
4. View Corridors
Street corridor placement and design should provide for views to and from the water, as well as for permanent installations of public art in key focal point locations. See attached map for key view corridor and focal point locations.
5. Railroad Right of Way
The Commercial Street section drawing includes the Narrow Gauge Railroad adjacent to the Commercial Street corridor. The railroad could add a dynamic intermodal element to Portland?s transportation system if integrated with the surrounding streets, sidewalks, trails and private development. In designing an integrated Narrow Gauge Rail corridor, the train should share as much of its width as possible with adjacent compatible uses. The Narrow Gauge right-of-way should be used as both a transportation corridor and a buffer for transportation facilities and the Eastern Prom Trail.
Note: Designers need to recognize State and Federal regulations regarding design changes within the rail right-of-way.
6. Underground Utilities
Overhead utilities should be avoided within the Eastern Waterfront.
7. Marine Passenger Terminal Circulation
Streets serving the proposed marine passenger terminal should be a seamless extension of existing streets and should be constructed in compliance with these guidelines. Circulation infrastructure constructed solely for the use of the terminal facility should be integrated with the public street and pedestrian network and designed to meet the transportation-related needs of the facility.
8. Bicycle Safety
Bicycles are a key mode of transportation in Portland?s transportation system as well as providing important recreation and fitness opportunities. Accommodations for bicycle traffic and safety should be designed into new and reconfigured streets and intersections. Bicycle racks should be installed along public sidewalks where appropriate.
B. Buildings/Architecture
Purpose
Design guidelines for buildings in the Eastern Waterfront Redevelopment Area encourage architecture that enhances the development of a mixed-use and marine intermodal transportation center, and is compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods. New construction should respect the historic character of Portland?s waterfront, while representing the best elements of contemporary design.
Guidelines
1. Contextual Design
New buildings should be designed in response to their context and should be compatible with surrounding neighborhoods. Broadly stated, compatibility refers to the recognition of existing development patterns and characteristics, and a responsiveness in new building design that respects these established patterns. The placement, height, massing, proportion, articulation, and materials of new structures should encourage a vision that supports the idea that the Eastern Waterfront develop into an extension of the surrounding areas while establishing its own identity as a new urban neighborhood.
2. Building Composition
The combination of design elements will determine the character of new buildings and neighborhoods. While specific solutions for any given setting cannot be anticipated in a single set of guidelines, the following building characteristics can be used to guide visual compatibility of new development.
a. Placement
In general, buildings should be placed at the sidewalk with their primary entrances oriented to the street.
b. Height
Building heights should be compatible with surrounding development and neighborhoods. The attached Building Height Key Map provides a general direction for building heights in the Eastern Waterfront district. These Guidelines recommend that any future rezoning process for the Eastern Waterfront should be preceded by a building height analysis comparable to the Downtown Height Study for the B-3 Zone.
c. Massing
The massing of new development should be compatible with the existing development found in the surrounding neighborhoods. Portland is characterized by human scaled architecture that complements a pleasant pedestrian environment. New development along the Eastern Waterfront should avoid large monolithic massing along all street frontages. Where new structures are larger than buildings characteristically found in Portland?s waterfront, horizontal and vertical variation should be used to break large expanses of building into components that are in scale with the context to which they most closely relate.
d. Proportion
The fa?ade proportions used in new development should be compatible with the existing development found in Portland?s waterfront. While some buildings on Portland?s Waterfront project a predominantly vertical or horizontal orientation, most use architectural details, storefront design, window openings, and roof shapes to balance the proportions of facades into pleasant and cohesive compositions. In smaller in-fill development, proportions of features such as windows, entryways, and storefronts should be designed to achieve compatibility with abutting structures and surrounding development.
e. Articulation
Traditional arrangement of fa?ade components into base, middle, and top composition can be used to achieve compatibility and continuity within the surrounding architectural context. Additionally, projecting bays, recessed balconies, and roof shape variation can be judiciously utilized to provide interest, individuality, and appropriate scale to new development.
f. Materials
Materials used in new development should reflect the historic character of Portland?s waterfront. A straightforward use of natural and traditional building materials is encouraged. Brick, stone, high quality metals, cast concrete, wood, and glass will achieve the greatest level of compatibility with the surrounding area and will best stand the test of time: in terms of both changing community tastes and withstanding the maritime climate of the Eastern Waterfront.
3. Pedestrian Environment
Development along new or existing public streets should foster a walkable and enjoyable pedestrian environment. New development should avoid large expanses of blank walls, should provide frequent street level entries, and should provide sidewalk amenities such as street furniture and lighting that encourage year-round pedestrian use. Buildings sited along Primary Streets should utilize traditional storefront design principles along the ground floor, and provide engaging displays and clear glazing to enhance the pedestrian experience.
4. Primary Entrances and Service Entrances
Primary entrances should open onto public sidewalks along the primary street frontage. Service entrances and loading facilities should be located at the rear or side of structures. Where buildings face more than one public street, service and loading circulation may be located along secondary streets where appropriate. Where no off-street options are available, loading and service entrances located along public streets should occupy the minimum space necessary and be compatible with the other uses of the street, including pedestrian activities, retail development, and traffic flow. The sharing of service circulation and loading facilities between buildings is encouraged.
5. Parking Structures
Parking structures should be compatible with adjacent uses and architecture in form, bulk, massing, articulation, and materials. The design of parking structures should create a visually attractive and active pedestrian environment by incorporating retail, commercial, and residential uses along all public streets.
a. Mixed-use Architecture
Parking uses and the appearance of parking structures should not dominate public streetscapes. All above-grade parking structures should include usable retail, commercial, and /or residential uses along street frontages to create a high quality urban environment. Parking structures on Primary Streets should have at least two stories of mixed uses integrated along the street frontage. On Secondary Streets at least one story of mixed uses should buffer the street.
b. Vertical and Horizontal Articulation
Visible diagonal ramps and non-horizontal parking plates should be screened from all visible angles whenever possible and not allowed on primary facades.
c. Lighting
Light fixtures installed in the interiors of parking garages should be fully screened from the exterior or utilize full cut-off shielding as defined in the City?s Technical Standards.
6. Infill and Small Scale Development
Infill development should fill open space along existing streets to reestablish street wall continuity. Likewise, small-scale development without a directly abutting neighbor should be guided by adjacent development patterns as a means to incrementally fill empty portions of the streetscape and achieve compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.
7. Historic Structures
Historically and architecturally significant structures and sites should be inventoried and protected from demolition and carefully rehabilitated in a way that is consistent with their original architectural intent. The challenge and opportunity is to adaptively reuse significant structures while retaining their historic character. New additions to historically significant buildings should be designed for compatibility with the original structure in size, composition and material and should result in the minimum necessary loss of original architectural material.
Note: Portions of the westerly section of the Eastern Waterfront are located in the Waterfront Historic District and are subject to the City?s Historic Preservation Ordinance.
8. Civic Structures
Civic structures represent the public commitment to creating a high quality urban environment. Civic buildings should be easily distinguished by their quality, placement, and use of materials. Traditionally, civic structures in Portland (City Hall, Union Station, Customs House, Federal and County Court Buildings, among others) have used the highest quality materials and design to assign a sense of permanence and importance to their role in the community. Additionally, these structures relate strongly to the streets and open spaces where they are located, sharing their importance with their surroundings. The Eastern Waterfront will hold a new transportation center in one of the most visible sites on Portland?s waterfront. The proposed marine passenger terminal should meet the same high standard for design and construction as Portland?s other great public buildings.
9. Marine Development
There are locations, specifically in the marine support areas, where development may have difficulty adhering to the building guidelines section above. Marine-dependent structures should be allowed to reflect their intended uses through the use of practical materials and straightforward design. Outbuildings, sheds and temporary marine-use structures should be sited and designed to minimize negative visual impacts. Through use of building placement, incorporation of design details, and use of landscaping and screening, designers should look for economical solutions to provide utilitarian marine structures with visual interest and character befitting their use.
C. Open Space and the Public Realm
Purpose
The character of public streets and sidewalks is the primary determinant of the quality of the public realm. The public realm is further defined and enhanced by the incorporation of quality open spaces. These guidelines aim to create comfortable, safe, accessible, and appropriately located open spaces to provide pedestrian interest and convenience. Open spaces can range in scale from building forecourts, to public trails, to public plazas and public parks. All open spaces should be accessible and barrier-free wherever possible. Landscaping, pedestrian amenities, outdoor furniture and lighting should be incorporated where appropriate. Opportunities for public art and historical references are encouraged.
Guidelines
1. Public Open Space and Plazas
The Eastern Waterfront will contain publicly owned and constructed open space. Generally associated with the water?s edge east of the Atlantic Pier (Pier 2,) City-owned open space should provide opportunities for public enjoyment and use of the water and add value to public and private development.
a. Visual Accessibility
To ensure that open space is well used, it is essential that the space should be visible and easily accessible from public areas (building entrances, sidewalks, and trail). Open spaces should be oriented to maximize exposure to the harbor, views and sun.
b. Physical Accessibility
Open spaces should have direct access from the adjacent streets, sidewalks, and trail, should allow for multiple points of entry, and should provide for universal accessibility. They should also be visually permeable from the sidewalk and trail, allowing passersby to see directly into the space.
c. Buffering
Open space should be well buffered from moving cars so that users can enjoy and relax in the space. The space may be visible from streets or internal drives but should not be wholly exposed to them. "Outdoor rooms" that are partially enclosed with building walls, freestanding walls, landscaping, raised planters, or on-street parking buffers are encouraged.
d. Perimeters
The perimeter of public spaces should consist of active uses that encourage pedestrian traffic. Public use of the waterfront, such as the passenger terminal and small marinas, retail activities, cafes and restaurants, and high-density residential uses all provide context for open space.
e. Trees and Plantings
Plants used in landscaped areas should be of the highest quality and of sufficient quantity and scale to make a visual impact. Plantings should be selected and located so that their functional and aesthetic qualities can be maximized. Trees of reasonable caliper should be installed at a density adequate to provide shade, habitat, and visual interest to public open space and care should be taken that appropriate species are selected for the soil conditions. Adequate space should be given to each planting and adequate irrigation and drainage should be provided.
f. Amenities
Public open space should be provided with adequate amenities, such as trash receptacles, seating, drinking fountains, and public restrooms for use by the general public.
g. Materials
Public open spaces and plazas should be built with high quality, durable materials that reflect thoughtful detailing consistent and compatible with the architectural character and historic maritime heritage of the Eastern Waterfront. Quality detailing implies attention to jointing, building and street edges, and technically correct construction techniques. Paving materials should be selected according to the intended use of the space. Designers are encouraged to utilize permeable paving materials wherever possible to reduce stormwater runoff.
2. Private Open Space and Plazas
Privately developed open space should contribute to the public realm through enhancement of the pedestrian environment and increased recreation opportunities.
a. Internal Open Space
Internal public space must be designed properly to be safe and usable, providing wide pathways, seating, and amenities.
b. Internal/External Interplay
Take the "indoors" outdoors by spilling interior space (e.g. dining areas, merchandise displays) onto walkways and plazas and bring the "outdoors" into the building by opening interior spaces (e.g. atriums and skylights) to views and sunshine.
c. Passageways
Open-air pedestrian passageways (with or without overhead cover) are generally more visible and inviting than interior hallways. Passageways can be attractive, successful locations for store entries, window displays, and/or restaurant/caf? seating, and should be integrated with the public sidewalk system.
3. Historic Sites
Sites of historic interest should be appropriately commemorated and marked with signage and public art. Specific emphasis should be paid to the maritime and transportation heritage of the Eastern Waterfront.
4. Public Art
Public art adds to the vitality and beauty of the city while giving a sense of identity to a place. Development in the Eastern Waterfront should integrate artwork into a variety of public and private settings and display art to the public as they engage in the activities of the city.
a. Public Spaces
Public art within open space is encouraged. Artwork may consist of freestanding pieces (e.g. a sculpture or water fountain) or may be integrated with its surroundings (e.g. relief sculpture imbedded in pavement or a wall, a mosaic or mural on a wall, lighting or sound effects, or decorative railing or lighting).
Note: Designers should be aware that public art placed on public property is subject to review under the City Public Art Ordinance and/or Maine Art Commission.
Additionally, public spaces should be designed to accommodate live performing arts and public assembly. The Maine State Pier traditionally provides a location for festivals, regattas, performances, and dances. Future development within the Eastern Waterfront, on the Maine State Pier and/or elsewhere, should provide safe and attractive performance space for a variety of public functions.
b. Private Spaces
Property owners are encouraged to provide outdoor public art on their property to enrich the pedestrian experience and create a stronger sense of place. Developers are strongly encouraged to incorporate artists into the design team in order to integrate works of art into their projects.
c. Contextual Siting
Artwork should be appropriate, and ideally, custom-made for its site. The artwork should complement and reinforce the character of the site in terms of its subject, scale, style, and materials. For example, art may be used to reveal historical facts about the site, or draw attention to a unique physical quality of the site. Care should be taken that the siting of public art does not diminish street wall development, but should emphasize the importance of key focal points.
5. View Protection
Portland?s relationship to the water is an important part of its unique character and identity. Key views of the harbor are a community resource to be preserved and protected.
Note: Please refer to Street Design Guidelines and Water?s Edge Guidelines for more on view protection.
D. Surface Parking and Vehicle Queuing
Purpose
Development in the Eastern Waterfront will require construction of areas dedicated to vehicle queuing (for the international ferry operations, and for bus and taxi drop-offs / pick-ups), as well as surface parking lots. The most critical elements to consider in evaluating the design of vehicle queuing and surface parking areas are the impacts on adjacent streets and sidewalks, security, landscaping and buffering, and lighting. The areas devoted to surface parking and vehicle queuing should be minimized as much as possible and visual impact of such areas should be mitigated through buffering and landscaping. Land devoted to surface parking lots should be reduced over time through redevelopment and construction of structured parking facilities. Parking should not develop incrementally on a project-by-project basis but should develop according to a planned build-out of shared parking structures to provide the most efficient utilization of valuable land.
Guidelines
1. Limit Impact
Parking lots and vehicle queuing areas should not dominate the frontage of pedestrian-oriented streets, interrupt pedestrian routes, or negatively impact the environment or surrounding developments.
a. Location
Parking lots should be located behind buildings or in the interior of a block whenever possible. Parking lots should not occupy more than 1/3 of the frontage of the adjacent building or no more than 64 feet, whichever is less.
b. Screening
Parking lots and vehicle queuing areas should be screened from streets, pedestrian ways, and significant views through the use of attractive landscaping, fencing and/or walls.
c. Internal Buffering
Wide expanses of surface pavement should be broken up visually by planted medians with shade trees. Shade tree location should buffer pedestrian circulation routes and should respect view corridors to the water. All parking lots should be planted with sufficient trees so that within ten years a significant majority of the surface area of the lot is shaded.
d. Storm Water Management
New and reused surface paving utilized for parking and vehicle queuing will shed polluted stormwater into Portland Harbor. Stormwater management should be provided to control and treat stormwater reasonably and effectively. Permeable paving materials, vegetated buffers and infiltration systems should be used wherever possible and practical to reduce the volume and improve the quality of stormwater.
e. Lighting
Lighting for parking and queuing areas should provide adequate illumination for vehicle and pedestrian safety and security while shielding surrounding areas from excessive light trespass and glare.
Note: All exterior lighting will need to adhere to the Site Lighting section of the City?s Technical and Design Standards and Guidelines.
2. Shared Use and Partnerships
These guidelines encourage public and private parking and vehicle queuing partnerships. Marine related transportation development and nearby mixed-use development plans should be integrated to minimize surface asphalt, to provide shared use of facilities, and to take advantage of offsetting times of peak use wherever possible. Shared parking is also strongly encouraged between private adjacent or vertically mixed uses with offsetting peak demand (e.g. offices and residential).
E. Water?s Edge
Purpose
The interaction of land activities with harbor activities creates the essential value and character of the Eastern Waterfront district. Portland has a long tradition of port development. Waterfront trade and industry have made the city prosperous throughout its history. The challenge for planning the Eastern Waterfront is to preserve the value and marine utility of the water?s edge, while stimulating appropriate development throughout the area for the benefit of the general population.
The relationship between the water?s edge and the adjacent upland is complex and intense. The convergence of transportation systems, downtown commercial activity, residential neighborhood, marine industry, and community recreation
resources creates a vital mix of complementary activity concentrated into a compact urban space. The intensive concentration of these uses creates value exceeding the individual parts. The successful accommodation of a diverse mixture of people and activity through quality design will best maximize the value of the water?s edge.
Guidelines
1. Intermodal Transportation
The Eastern Waterfront forms a crucial hub for a wide range of transportation modes, including passenger vessels, private boats, emergency vessels, cars, buses, excursion craft (rail, boat, and amphibious vehicle), bicycles, pedestrians, roller-bladers, trucks, etc. The function of this area as an intermodal transportation center must be designed into every building and infrastructure element, to facilitate integration and coordination of the various current and potential future modes of transportation.
2. Berthing and Upland Development
Berthing opportunities for both large and small vessels exist along Portland?s Eastern Waterfront. The available water depth creates a functional transition in the scale of vessels that can be berthed, which translates to a variation in the scale of upland support facilities, the nature of use and access, and the associated intensity of use impacts.
a. Deep Water Berthing
The deepest water is available between the Atlantic Pier (Pier 2) and Maine State Pier and will serve the proposed marine passenger terminal facility. Development within this berthing area, and the upland adjacent to the water?s edge, should promote and foster the utilization of the deep-water resource.
b. Shallow Water Berthing
The shore and submerged lands east of Pier 2 have shallower water depths, and are appropriate for smaller vessel berthing and activities oriented to small and medium sized boats. In the future, the east side of Pier 2 could be dredged to accommodate deep water berthing. Development that unreasonably limits the expansion of berthing at Pier 2 should be avoided.
3. Public Access To Water
The extent and nature of public access to the water?s edge will depend upon the scale and character of the marine use on the water; but access should be provided in the most generous and integrated way that is compatible with the function of the maritime activity.
Interest in water access for active and passive purposes is widespread and should be accommodated to the maximum extent possible. Large facilities should present visitation and viewing opportunities for residents, visitors, and the traveling public as allowed by security requirements. Small facilities should be developed to give visitors, island residents, and community residents access to the water?s edge for boating opportunities, tie-up for private boats, boating education, and fishing opportunities to maintain the connection of Portland?s population with its maritime heritage.
a. Security
Security for the marine passenger terminal should be accomplished by careful, subtle, and sensitive design, the use of clever separation, and avoidance of obvious or harsh features such as chain-link fencing, guardhouses, or razor wire. The best security will be imperceptible to users or the general public unless trespassed upon.
b. Marine Passenger Terminal
The marine passenger terminal should allow for safe observation of the facility and visiting vessels when in operation and should provide for reasonable casual visitation when the facility is not engaged in active loading/offloading functions. Convenient and attractive alternative routes through or around the facility should be provided for the general public and passersby when security and safety dictate that certain areas be cordoned off from the public. Whenever and wherever reasonable, the facility should accommodate safe pier-side pedestrian access and recreational fishing opportunities.
4. Non-Automotive Travel Opportunities
The Ocean Gateway facility should be a model of multi-modal transportation. Pedestrians, bicyclists, car-free vacationers, transit users, and other non-car travelers should be provided with first quality access to the facility and accommodation for their transportation needs.
5. Recreation and Excursion Integration
Recreation and excursion access to the Eastern Waterfront area should be fully integrated into the buildings and infrastructure. Facilities should be oriented toward intermodal activities and carefully executed so that they do not develop a carnival-like atmosphere that could detract from the quality of life of residents.
6. Amenity Design
Design details for such features as lighting, paving, bollards, benches, pavilions, or other amenities should be carefully selected to reflect the maritime heritage and current maritime use of the area. Such features should be coordinated as much as possible between public and private improvements. The quality and durability of these amenities should be of the highest standards, and of timeless aesthetic character to withstand many years of use.
7. Lighting
Lighting at the water?s edge is highly visible and sensitive to reflective glare off the water. Lighting for all areas, including the marine passenger terminal facility and private security lighting, should be as unobtrusive as possible, and meet all City Technical Standards for intensity, glare, and spillover. Special attention should be paid to avoid navigational hazards created by excessive glare in the harbor.
8. Visual Access
Shallow water marine uses east of Pier 2 should provide visual interest to passersby. Fencing for security and safety should be coated chain-link where more ornamental materials would be inappropriate for use. Such fencing should be no higher or more extensive than needed to provide general safety or security needs.
9. View Protection
Views to the water should be preserved from critical public vantage points. Private views to the water should be respected where possible. Massing and placement of buildings should be designed to minimize impacts on water views and retain value for upland development potential.
10. Parking
Parking that is not directly marine-related should not be located along the water?s edge.
Attached Plans:
Key Map
Building Height Overlay
Street Hierarchy
View Corridors and Focal Points
