Eastern Waterfront

[Corey]

something I'd like to see more of in the eastern waterfront, bayside, and the west end west of the prom is this type of neighborhood: http://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/tnd-bayview-street-perspective.jpg

I'd be happy with that type of development, too

corey, this article (and the book itself) made me think of you, as I notice you are very into historical photo comparisons. Have you checked this out yet?
http://www.theportlanddailysun.com/cgi/story.pl?storyid=20090814037371000837

I received an advance copy of that book (see here) and I highly recommend it for people who enjoy that kind of stuff (the type of people that visit forums like this).

 

[Patrick]

Once the economy sees an uptick, the bayhouse development should begin phase one. It would sort of look like the sort of housing we are talking about here. I rather like it, even though I initially wanted to see the larger, 10 story design implemented. I think Portland is known for quality tow houses (or at least it was) and this sort of design principle should be encouraged.

 

[Patrick]

Plan for Jordan's site: hotel, condos
The developers also want to build a restaurant on the former meat-plant land, and hope to finish the project by mid-2011.

By Matt Wickenheiser mwickenheiser@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

PORTLAND ? Less than a month after buying the property, the owner of the former Jordan's Meats plant has submitted plans to build a hotel, a restaurant and condominiums on the site.

Old Port Hospitality LLC is proposing a 122-room Hampton Inn, an undisclosed restaurant with about 180 seats and 12 condo units on the lot bordered by Franklin Arterial and India, Middle and Fore streets.

''We are trying to get a hotel project in the ground for the spring,'' said Mark Woglom, who is a principal in Old Port Hospitality along with Greg Kirsch.

The goal would be to finish the project in a year, so the hotel and restaurant would be open for the tourism season in 2011, Woglom said.

Although he declined to put a value on the potential development, papers filed with the city and state say it is estimated to be a $15 million project.

Woglom and Kirsch are president and vice president, respectively, of Belmont, N.H.-based Opeechee Construction. They formed the company to buy the Jordan's Meats site, and closed the deal Feb. 1.

The new owners have declined to discuss the purchase price, but the real estate agent who handled the deal said at the time that the asking price was $4.75 million and they bought the property for less than that.

At the time, Woglom said they had no firm plans for the site, nor a timeline, citing the challenging economy.

On Thursday, Woglom said Old Port Hospitality has lined up financing from a small commercial bank, which he declined to identify. The firm has been granted the franchise for the Hampton Inn, which is part of the Hilton family of hotels.

Still, Woglom said, ''A lot of things have to happen any number of stumbling blocks could stop a project like this.''

Greg Mitchell, Portland's economic development director, said the firm's quick movement is ''a positive and encouraging sign.''

''This is reinforcement that the Portland economy is strong and can support additional hotel rooms and restaurant investment in a slower economy,'' Mitchell said.

According to the plans, the 1.74-acre site would be subdivided into two parcels. A six-story, 95,000-square-foot building would be built on a 0.66-acre parcel for the hotel, restaurant and condominiums. The rest of the property would be kept for future development.

The hotel would have 112 parking spots, plus 22 spaces for bicycles.

The developers still need state and city permits and approvals. Woglom said the proposed uses are all permitted under the city's zoning.

Opeechee has constructed buildings in Maine, including the AAA regional headquarters in Portland, Hampton Inns in Augusta, Bath and Ellsworth, the Comfort Suites in Biddeford, the Comfort Inn & Suites and Homewood Suites in Scarborough, and the Holiday Inn Express in Freeport.

Old Port Hospitality bought the former meat-packing plant from The Procaccianti Group of Rhode Island, which paid $6 million for the property after Jordan's Meats closed in 2005.

Procaccianti planned to build a Westin Hotel and 97 luxury condos on the site, but never moved ahead after getting city approval.



Staff Writer Matt Wickenheiser can be contacted at 791-6316 or at:

mwickenheiser@pressherald.com

Just for some reference, here are what the ugly hampton inns look like in their more urban form

 

[Corey]

I was just looking at some Hampton Inn design guides online. I'm guessing we will get the standard brick model on the upper right:

 

[grittys457]

The one with the curved side looks pretty urban and meant for a city. Actually look a bit like the curved corner of the westin that was going to go there.

Really interested to see what the restaurant will be. At first you might be thinking that the Marriot down there is going "oh shit", but they are completely different hotels and getting that area developed can only help the Marriot and everything over there. Seriously, are they ever going to even lay a floor down in the eastern waterfront garage retail space? It's seriously still dirt inside of it.

 

[Corey]

I've noticed the unfinished retail spaces too, Grittys. I assume they will get around to that once someone shows some interest in moving there. I think there would be more demand for those spaces than the ones in the new Maine Med garage.

 

[bostonbred]

thes renders is UGLIE!!!

 

[Patrick]

Yeah a lot of projects are not being completed right now until there is demand for them because it just does not make sense to finish the interior of a project that isn't likely to be leased for some time. In South Portland the new condos in the Knightville neighborhood (large mixed use building) are almost all unfinished. I toured one of three finished units, which was in my opinion very overpriced, and was informed that no one else had signed up to move in and the other units would only be finished as buyers showed interest.

the size of the proposed hampton inn will be about 100,000 square feet. I plan on looking at the plans submitted to the city on Monday. are that many parking spaces really necessary with a garage right next door? especially one that was built for a project that was never completed? I guess half of the parcel is to be reserved for future development, of what I don't know.

 

[Corey]

I guess half of the parcel is to be reserved for future development, of what I don't know.

That sounds like developer code for "surface parking lot for 10-30 years." I'll be happy with the Hampton Inn development as long as it isn't too ugly, doesn't have a huge parking garage, and doesn't take up the entire block.

I saw you are interested in the parks commission, Patrick. Sounds like a good opportunity. Make us (archboston) proud!

 

[Patrick]

I just viewed the plans and the building doesn't look too bad, but its not a landmark.

 

[SHAZBAT73]

It's really too bad that the new owners just don't run with the old plan, or at least the size and height that was already granted for the site. Even though the new plan is more affordable, I think the new developers need to aim higher! But, in the end, some progress is better than none...

Anyway, is there a way to show the new renderings here?

 

[Patrick]

Yeah Shaz a taller building would have been nice, but whereas there is nothing really in this neighborhood to begin with this structure should still stand out as a noticeable change. It is very urban and brick looking. Not the highest quality, nor a landmark, but it is appropriate for the neighborhood in my opinion. It even includes a pedestrian walkway through the property with some landscaping and new urban streetlights like what you see in front of the marriot extended stay hotel down the street. The previous owners needed additional height to get views to make the condos more attractive, but now there are only 12 condos, as opposed to 100, so the extra space isn't needed. I would much rather see height downtown and in bayside than this neighborhood anyway and am happy with this structure as designed. It will also bring more foot traffic to the area that previously has been leaking to budget hotels in the suburbs. I was told the renderings would be online today, let me see if I can locate the pictures. If I do, I'll post them here.

Edit, I just looked. The planning board is scheduled to have a meeting on march 9th and the backup material to that meeting should include the renderings. Here is the link to the site, but it looks like the pics have not yet been scanned or added to the website yet. Keep checking back though they should be there soon. http://www.portlandmaine.gov/planning.htm#Current_Backup_Material

http://www.portlandmaine.gov/planning.html

 

[Corey]

This seems to be an appropriate place to discuss this Press Herald article about Parking because it's has to do with the waterfront.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/parking-parking-everywhere_2010-03-04.html
Parking, parking everywhere As land-use policies along the harbor get new attention, some see potential for development in the sea of asphalt.

On the 15 piers between the Maine State Pier and the International Marine Terminal, there are 1,300 parking spaces in lots for commercial uses and lots bigger than 30,000 square feet. That doesn't include smaller clusters of parking for specific businesses, or parking garages and large lots nearby.

"We don't have a working waterfront," said Don Perkins, executive director of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. "We have a parking waterfront."

I thought it was a nice article. I comment in just about every other post I make about not wanting more parking garages. I have only lived car free for a couple of years so I'm not completely out of touch with car culture but I am obviously quite opinionated about the issue. I would be interested to hear about the topic from people who motor everywhere yet value the city on some level.

 

[Patrick]

I use a car due to necessity not preference. The fact is its not as simple as making a choice. many of the decisions have already been made and are dictated upon us by the structures we have to navigate on our ways to and fro destinations. If things were closer together I would walk. Perhaps this works for people who live intown but its a non option for people who live off the peninsula, even in portland. sure the bus works, but people don't even carry change on them anymore, and if they buy monthly cards the schedule is irregular and takes time to figure out connections etc. If there was a regularly running free shuttle downtown I would take it. Many cities even some smaller than portland offer this option. I would be completely for abolishing parking on the waterfront and I would even go so far as to make all of the old port pedestrian only and ban cars altogether. However, part of the attractiveness of the old port is its mix of uses, which requires a professional presence of offices and other commercial entities, but the people who populate the upper floor businesses in the old port have schedules for which walking is not always the best option. It is tricky, but I think it requires a different built environment before we make the switch to no cars. of course, if the climate was different, I would bike a lot more places too, as I do in the summer.

 

[Patrick]

I don't think parking should be a requirement of development EVER. city wide the parking requirements should be abolished. If a developer thinks his or her project would be viable without it, why require it? If the developer's project wouldn't be viable without it, they would propose a project with parking. Let the market decide. Stop mandating who has to have how much parking. There, problem solved.

Also, here are some particularly entertaining quotes from the article:

"A sea of cars," she said, "is not an attractive way to market the waterfront."

"We don't have a working waterfront," said Don Perkins, executive director of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. "We have a parking waterfront."

both true. People want a sea of water, not asphalt, and people want a working waterfront not a parking waterfront. What a waste of prime space.

 

[Patrick]

The Hampton Inn Portland Waterfront and the Portside Residence Condos

 

[Lrfox]

Yawn. The site deserves much better than that.

 

[SHAZBAT73]

Thanks for the pics Patrick! Like Lrfox, I believe this site deserves more, but we might as well get used to this. Anyway, when does construction begin? This spring maybe?

Edit: This would look better with another story or two. I wonder if it is like this for quick review / passage in order to get construction moving ASAP?

 

[Patrick]

There is a tight tenant driven deadline Shazbat. I don't know about the site "deserving" better than this project. We are lucky there is even a project at all. I can't think of too many other cities building hotels in this economy. The eastern portion of the site is reserved for two levels of structured parking beneath a commercial office building (but this is a later yet to be planned phase of the project). I think the site will be tremendously improved by this project and the fact that it is a hampton inn, although at first made me think suburban strip, doesn't seem to have been too bad after all. The building as proposed is built exactly to the maximum of current EWF zoning specs, and on the south side is even a bit taller than the 65 foot limit (the two sides' heights north and south are averaged to get total height). I like the look of this building, even if I'm not crazy about the parking lot for now. What else would go better there? A meat processing plant? We know that doesn't work, and we also know that luxury condos selling for 5 million don't work either. The westin would have been nice, granted, but I would much rather see this than nothing at all. Its not like Portland has a shortage of spaces to build, on the contrary the city is full of them. If the westin wants to come back, which this development will only encourage by making the city more of an attraction for ALL income levels, it is certainly welcome to buy another site. I think they could afford it. Overall I think this project is far better than anything we could have hoped for in this economic climate. The construction/clearing is supposed to start this spring, with the structure fully up and running in 2 years. Think about it like this, the building may not be an architectural masterpiece, but what new building in portland (or many other places for that matter) is? at least this will add structural mass, a restaurant, urban connectivity, street activity, lower income tourists (which currently stay in places outside of the city and thus divert their dollars to the mall and places like freeport) and additional residences. Could we ask for more, especially in this economic situation? This is a gift to the City.

 

[Corey]

I can't see the pictures on the last page, but it might just be because I am at work. I look forward to seeing them eventually.

Story in the Herald today...


Hotel complex gets initial OK from Portland board
One developer of the old Jordan's Meats site says Sebago Brewing plans to relocate there.

The hotel would have 92 parking spaces, Woglom said. The restaurant would have none, but Woglom noted that several parking garages are nearby, and development plans would create 16 to 18 new spaces on Fore Street.
According to the plans, the 1.74-acre site would be subdivided into two parcels. A six-story, 95,000-square-foot building would be built on a 0.66-acre parcel for the hotel, restaurant and condominiums. The rest of the property would be kept for future development.

And a good article on Munjoy Hill News Here.

"Hill resident Jamie Parker said he found the proposed development ?generally favorable. The developers have paid attention to details. It?s a welcoming space.? But he did take issue with the lack of attention paid to Franklin Street in view of the recent work of the Franklin Street Study group. Parker went on to say he would like some interface on Franklin Street ? not just on Fore Street."

Sounds good all around.

I will also note that I really like Sebago Brewing and their current location is awesome. But I understand that they probably want a more modern facility that is built to their own wants and needs. I hope another classy place moves into their old spot.