Eastern Waterfront

I agree, it's very nice as far as garages go. It's surprinsgly large in person. I think this should do it as far as parking in the area. I often feel like Portland has a lot of garages but I guess every city does.
 
^I've noticed that too. Most cities have plenty of garages, but Portland has noticeably more than most cities of comparable size that I've visited.
 
Thanks for the pictures Patrick. I too like the look of the new garage and I hope retail fills in around the garage to give the area vitality and further enhance the building.
 
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=221774&ac=PHnws

Portland to sue state over pier dispute

The city seeks ownership of the sea floor, trying to clear up an issue that has halted planned redevelopment.

By MATT WICKENHEISER Staff Writer
November 13, 2008

The city of Portland will sue the state to secure ownership of the sea floor beneath the Maine State Pier - an issue that has halted the redevelopment project planned for the property.

The city has maintained it owns the submerged land beneath the pier, but Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe contends the property belongs to the state.

The City Council's Community Development Committee recommended Wednesday night that Portland terminate negotiations with The Olympia Cos., the developer the city had picked for the project.

Olympia wouldn't begin to spend at least $500,000 in due diligence work while the title to the land remained in question.

Olympia President Kevin Mahaney said at a City Hall press conference this morning that the potential financial risk to his company was too great going forward with an unresolved title to the submerged land.

City Attorney Gary Wood said this morning that Portland would proceed with legal action against the state to clear up the title, and a lawsuit would be filed by January. He said a resolution in the case could take between a year and 18 months.

City Councilor Cheryl Leeman said the new City Council, to be seated Dec. 1, would have to choose how to proceed with the project. Several options exist, said Leeman. The Council could put it out for another request for proposals. It could see if Ocean Properties, which lost the bid for the project, would take on the development. It could sign the master development agreement with Olympia, with the understanding that no work be done until the title is cleared. Or it could do nothing, she said.

And Mainebiz's slightly more severe, brief take on the story: http://www.mainebiz.biz/news43736.html
 
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It's pretty sad when the parking garage is the tallest building in the area! Thanks for the pics!
 
ConstantlyInTransit said:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=221774&ac=PHnws

Portland to sue state over pier dispute

The city seeks ownership of the sea floor, trying to clear up an issue that has halted planned redevelopment.

By MATT WICKENHEISER Staff Writer
November 13, 2008

The city of Portland will sue the state to secure ownership of the sea floor beneath the Maine State Pier - an issue that has halted the redevelopment project planned for the property.

The city has maintained it owns the submerged land beneath the pier, but Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe contends the property belongs to the state.

The City Council's Community Development Committee recommended Wednesday night that Portland terminate negotiations with The Olympia Cos., the developer the city had picked for the project.

Olympia wouldn't begin to spend at least $500,000 in due diligence work while the title to the land remained in question.

Olympia President Kevin Mahaney said at a City Hall press conference this morning that the potential financial risk to his company was too great going forward with an unresolved title to the submerged land.

City Attorney Gary Wood said this morning that Portland would proceed with legal action against the state to clear up the title, and a lawsuit would be filed by January. He said a resolution in the case could take between a year and 18 months.

City Councilor Cheryl Leeman said the new City Council, to be seated Dec. 1, would have to choose how to proceed with the project. Several options exist, said Leeman. The Council could put it out for another request for proposals. It could see if Ocean Properties, which lost the bid for the project, would take on the development. It could sign the master development agreement with Olympia, with the understanding that no work be done until the title is cleared. Or it could do nothing, she said.

And Mainebiz's slightly more severe, brief take on the story: http://www.mainebiz.biz/news43736.html
Click to expand...

Once again the dopes on the Portland City Council screw up another project as Ocean Properties decides not to pursue the Maine State Pier development. Should have gone with OP in the first place. Maybe they will just put up a "green" homeless shelter and a couple of windmills out on the Pier. Those 2 Green Party dudes need to go!
 
Sorry, "needsanewarena," but Councilors Donoghue and Marhsall ("those two green party dudes") have actually been two of the most proactive, pro-development councilors on the Council: they've supported measures like the loosening of parking requirements, which will make future residential development easier to happen, and they've been key to advancing economic development efforts in Bayside and elsewhere.

The most serious blame for the Maine State Pier mess lies with the Councilors who proposed the project in the first place, in cahoots with well-connected politicians: that's primarily ex-councilor Jim Cloutier, who was justly fired last year, as well as Councilors Duson, Skolnik, and Waxman (the latter two made shilling for Ocean Properties the keystone of their "public service" careers, and they've got some serious egg on their faces now).

The economics for putting a big hotel and office building on an unstable pier in the ocean were always questionable; any politician who honestly believed it could happen in this economic climate is too ignorant of financial issues to lead our city.

Worse, the whole MSP fiasco distracted our city, its developers, and our planning resources from neighborhoods where this kind of development is more economical and realistic: places like the Eastern Waterfront (which is still mostly empty) and Bayside.

When Jim Cloutier, Dory Waxman, and Jill Duson offered preferential treatment to Ocean Properties to develop a huge hotel and office complex on city property, that sent a clear message to other private-sector developers that it would be difficult for them to compete, and that they should hold off on building their own projects on private land.

But now that the MSP chimera is (hopefully) gone, maybe Portland can finally focus on REAL development projects.
 
I certainly didn't vote for the two green party guys, but they have actually done a really good job for the most part. CNeal was right saying they have been very pro development.

I mentioned this on the pressherald website, but the failure of this should almost force the city to allow the hotel/retail development next door on the waterfront that is being proposed. How the hell could you say no to somebody offerering to do a 50 million dollar job right now?
 
I was driving up India street today and I peeked over to the new hotel and I was like when did that happen? The last pic that Corey posted above shows the back corner of the hotel. That is all completely glass now. I wasn't expecting that. I thought it was going to be all brick but it looks really good. Kinda like the Fore Street building that is all glass behind Old Port Sea Grill.
 
Sounds interesting, I will have to check it out sometime. Havent been on that side of the Franklin Arterial/Street in several months.
 
Why is it that in this area of the city (including the Custom House area) the parking garages are the tallest structures around? Does this appear to be a little odd?
 
It is certainly disappointing for us urban enthusiasts. Portland should put a moratorium on any more parking garages. Maybe I can handle one more in Bayside if something gets built there but that's the last one.
 
Corey, you need to snap a pic of the Marriot lit up at night. Looks really good, especially the windows and the front entrance.
 
Other than the Marriott (which does look sharp at night, as Grittys mentioned), the lots on both sides of the parking garage remain empty and quiet. At least they are all cleared for when the economy gets back on track and someone decides to build something.

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I think the area looked much better before the neighborhood that used to be there was raised and cleared. The houses were dense and the trees and landscape was mature. I was looking through a history book on Portland and thought the neighborhood all in all was better the way it used to be. I think in Portland's current renewal/redevelopment efforts, a greater focus should be concentrated on adding downtown housing stock. Although it would be neat to fill the area up with tall buildings, I think the best features of Portland stem directly from its vibrant neighborhoods.

On a side note, I just read today that exchange street used to be called fish street. I think probably the name change worked out to the tourism industry's advantage.

I think the city should follow through on its plan to rename marginal way to bayside avenue. The name change would do a bunch to invigorate the area. Marginal sounds so bleak and rundown. I also think the new office development there should all have been on the south side of the street, where planet fitness is, with the north side filled up not with student block housing but with rowhouses for affordable housing.

Now that I have officially changed topics in this post, has anyone read the Daily Sun this week. It mentions efforts in Bayside to create BID, the bayside improvement district, which is similar to the district currently in effect for downtown. essentially, a small increase in current property taxes would be used to make neighborhood improvements like additional sidewalks, trees, landscaping and trash barrels.

The Portland Daily Sun also had an article this week about a study on how to improve the neighborhhod of east deering. Good issue.
 
here are some more stories which may be of interest as well:
http://www.theportlanddailysun.com/cgi/story.pl?storyid=20090812027591000176

http://www.theportlanddailysun.com/cgi/story.pl?storyid=20090811017311000237

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

http://www.theportlanddailysun.com/cgi/story.pl?storyid=20090814047471000419
 
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