General Portland Discussion

This week's planning board agenda includes the planning department's year in review:

https://portlandme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/7563/files/report/3788
  • 24 major site plans approved in 2024;
  • 393 new housing units, 268 of which (68%) have affordability restrictions
  • $1.2 million in contributions to the city's Jill Duson affordable housing trust fund
The city's housing dashboard shows a total of 446 homes approved last year – the higher number includes a few dozen from smaller 1-4 unit buildings approved last year outside the major site plan process.

2024 was the 5th-biggest year for housing approvals in the past half-century – not bad for a year with higher construction costs and high interest rates.

It was also the 2nd-biggest year for the number of new housing units completed (568), led by the opening of 201 Federal plus the two new buildings that opened up on Winter Street as part of the Mercy Hospital redevelopment. That works out to roughly a 1.6 percent increase in the city's total stock of non-seasonal housing.
 
The Press Herald did a bit of a story on the dormant Schwartz building. Can't really draw many conclusions here other than the owner Geoffrey Rice is a recluse with no real interest in bringing this building back to life:

www.pressherald.com

Why has a historic building in Portland been vacant for more than 15 years?

The prominent building at the corner of Congress and High streets has been under slow and steady construction since 2010, disgruntling neighbors who wonder why it's been so hard to fill.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com
 
Nothing will happen here until this guy is six feet under and the property changes hands. It's like the private house with the junk in the drive and yard smack dab in the middle of the UNE campus in Portland. Feisty old Mainers.
 
Aldi is coming to Portland. This will probably be a big boost to the Pine Tree Plaza, which has struggled to maintain tenants over the past 10+ years.

www.pressherald.com

Maine’s first Aldi may be on the way as supermarket signs Portland lease

The German budget grocery store chain has signed a lease agreement at the former Big Lots in the Pine Tree Shopping Center on Brighton Avenue.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com
 
I think an indoor soccer/music venue (30,000) would be a good idea here (the grassy areas behind JC Penny). There is more than enough parking (with an additional giant garage), restaurants, bars, lodging, and easy access from 95. And it's only 85 minutes to Boston barreling down that highway. People from Southern NH and Boston could be the reach. It would be the largest capacity indoor soccer, football, music, you-name-it in New England. And open up the ends on warm summer days to feel the outdoors. Build it with large food and drink bars in the style that's trending and SUCCESSFUL today. It's perhaps too ambitious for Maine, but then again, why not? Bangor does concerts with seating for 16,000. This new venue can reach to 2-3 million in population. I think funding is realistic with the NH and Boston reach potential.
 
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Excellent interview with Jim Brady on how he got into development. I'm excited to see his upcoming projects; he puts so much thought into them. Listen to this podcast to understand.

 
TC_zoid said:
I think an indoor soccer/music venue (30,000) would be a good idea here (the grassy areas behind JC Penny). There is more than enough parking (with an additional giant garage), restaurants, bars, lodging, and easy access from 95. And it's only 85 minutes to Boston barreling down that highway. People from Southern NH and Boston could be the reach. It would be the largest capacity indoor soccer, football, music, you-name-it in New England. And open up the ends on warm summer days to feel the outdoors. Build it with large food and drink bars in the style that's trending and SUCCESSFUL today. It's perhaps too ambitious for Maine, but then again, why not? Bangor does concerts with seating for 16,000. This new venue can reach to 2-3 million in population. I think funding is realistic with the NH and Boston reach potential.
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I pitched a similar idea last year: http://archboston.com/community/threads/potential-soccer-stadium-portland-peninsula.6245/post-467719
 
TC_zoid said:
Excellent interview with Jim Brady on how he got into development. I'm excited to see his upcoming projects; he puts so much thought into them. Listen to this podcast to understand.
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An opening of mid 2026 for the conversion of the Fidelity Building into an upscale hotel was excellent news which means we should start seeing some construction activity very soon!
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
I pitched a similar idea last year: http://archboston.com/community/threads/potential-soccer-stadium-portland-peninsula.6245/post-467719
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Yes, all good points. But I would build bigger. 30,000 indoors because now you have a music venue to use for 12 months out of the year instead of maybe 5 (and no rain dates). TD Garden can seat maybe 20,000 with a 360-degree stage setup. 32,000 would be this new venue, and then similar percentage decreases for both sizes based on type of show. The Monster Truck show would certainly become more monstruous. Live Nation and other promoters want to make the biggest gate revenues possible. With a big enough act, the top half of the Boston population would make the drive, so now it's up to a 4 million population draw (1.5 million for Maine and NH, and 2.5 for Boston). But you will need more parking for this much capacity because those headed up from the south will be in cars. But parking could be on the other side of 95 too with shuttle buses (Target parking lot, etc.). I think the relative close connectivity with all the offerings surrounding the Mall and the nearly 20 motel/hotels in the area (and still going up too) creates an excellent dynamic. And it looks like the old Sears is going to be a Dick's? And a new concept one? I think there is a Dick's next to Gillette, and then the new one next to the Prudential Center. They are redefining what a sports store can be. Sports are just as big a draw today, and the NFL now makes insane revenue. Kraft wants to build a 25,000 seat soccer stadium next to the Encore, but the state and local politicians and regulations are giving him a hard time. I don't think it's going to happen, or if you read the insiders on the blogs. And, even if it does, it's not year-round play and/or music. Food and drink options now are making substantially more revenue for sports, and Maine has some impressive food and brews. A Mr. Tuna patio and an Allagash Beer garden... People from around the country are already coming to town for that. In the previous posting, Brady said officials in town told him he was crazy to build the Press Hotel, that it would never work. A small to mid-size indoor stadium in Portland will work. Look at the metrics for the area. And don't forget the population increases with tourists in town for 5-6 months of the year.
 
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Honestly, I think 30k would be way too ambitious unless the Revolution did indeed move here. I know you love to tout the proximity of Boston to Portland, but we simply do not have the local population to support something that big without a major league draw. While obviously limited in capacity in their current venues, the Sea Dogs and Mariners don't sell out every game. In fact, the Mariners tend to block off one end of the civic center to create a feeling of it being more packed in the rest of the arena. Now picture a USL1 team only filling a 30k seat stadium at maybe a maximum of 1/3 of the capacity. That's like the Revolution playing at Gillette with the upper decks empty. It's not the "close to the game" and intimate feel that tends to be preferred for soccer, hence why the Krafts want to build a soccer-specific stadium closer to Boston at a fraction of the capacity of Gillette.

Plus, at 30k, no bank in the world is going to underwrite that without a major league draw.

I think something half that size, at around 15k capacity, would be ideal. For concerts, that could still hold 18k-ish with one end blocked off but the field open to GA or ticketed seating.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
Honestly, I think 30k would be way too ambitious unless the Revolution did indeed move here. I know you love to tout the proximity of Boston to Portland, but we simply do not have the local population to support something that big without a major league draw. While obviously limited in capacity in their current venues, the Sea Dogs and Mariners don't sell out every game. In fact, the Mariners tend to block off one end of the civic center to create a feeling of it being more packed in the rest of the arena. Now picture a USL1 team only filling a 30k seat stadium at maybe a maximum of 1/3 of the capacity. That's like the Revolution playing at Gillette with the upper decks empty. It's not the "close to the game" and intimate feel that tends to be preferred for soccer, hence why the Krafts want to build a soccer-specific stadium closer to Boston at a fraction of the capacity of Gillette.

Plus, at 30k, no bank in the world is going to underwrite that without a major league draw.

I think something half that size, at around 15k capacity, would be ideal. For concerts, that could still hold 18k-ish with one end blocked off but the field open to GA or ticketed seating.
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One must look at Portland as a de facto suburb of Boston. It's primarily about revenue during the 7 months of the year that there are NO OUTDOOR ATTENDANCE SPORTS INCLUDING SOCCER OR BIGGER CONCERTS in all of New England and NY (except for the college facility at Syracuse University). If the second deck is empty, bring down cheaper LED screen boards (for ads so that they pay for it) to hide it. Fans will travel the easy 100 miles in today's comfortable cars to South Portland for a game or concert to experience that and outstanding food and drink offerings. Green Bay is 117 miles from Milwaukee, and Packer fans (or fans with a mission) have no problem driving north for games. Build it primarily for 7 months of a monopoly and they will come. Don't think about Portland and its largely provincial minded past. It's a vastly different place now with many people not born in Maine. And if Bangor can get 16,000 for a concert, then Portland with nearby Boston could see 100,000. I think razing the JC Penny building and placing the stadium perpendicular against the mall would be smart. Maine is cold in the winter, or for half the year. Before and after the game, or with more connected restaurants and bars, the mall and immediate area would thrive. Fitzpatrick is too small of a space to expand and there is virtually nothing within walking distance as far as food and drink offerings. The traffic and parking will be an issue too with 10,000 or more in attendance. People in Maine rarely think about the bigger needs for the future or being bold in mindset. That's why I referenced the Jim Brady interview. Portlanders thought he was crazy to build the Press Hotel. It's how you do it. Why do you think that nearly every older stadium and arena (and ones just 20 years old too) in the country are wanting to renovate? Because they can make more money and bring in more people with a better experience design. So, in Maine it has always been a mindset of suffering, not pushing things for a better life, and then almost enjoying it. Brady came to Maine and then left (for Italy), then returned to build the Press Hotel and showed Mainers that you can have a better experience. It's laughable to compare The Regency with the Press Hotel. Night and day. But if you built this new stadium without good design, forget it. Disaster.

P.S. With soccer, feature less expensive tickets and INCREDIBLE food and drink offerings and areas, and most of the locals will be coming to a game from November to May.

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TC_zoid said:
One must look at Portland as a de facto suburb of Boston.

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This would ring truer to me if going to a concert or other late night event didn’t require booking a hotel because trains and buses from Boston to Maine don’t operate past 11:30 PM. Heading southbound, the late night options are even worse.

TC, you’ve raved about Swiss trains in previous posts. My own experience there and in other cities/countries with better transit suggests it isn’t the distance from Maine that makes Boston feel far, but the limited ways we’re able to traverse it.
 
TC, always enjoy your insight and outside the box ideas but you are the only person I know that is pushing Portland as a de facto suburb of Boston. If the day ever comes where the Office of Management and Budget removes Portland's designation as a Combined Statistical Area and includes it into Boston's metropolitan umbrella I will concede to you. Portland is too far (108 miles) from Boston and way to independent as a regional hub for locals and Bostonians to think of the city as a suburb of "beantown" in any format, real or imagined. With your logic, Hartford (100 miles) is also a de facto suburb of Boston and Philadelphia would have the same relationship with New York which is why there are defined lines drawn to determine MSA and CSA boundaries that can change over the years due to population shifts. Until that happens, I'm not buying what you're trying to sell! :)

Though Providence, Worcester and Manchester all fall under Boston's CSA and are at or near the 50 mile distance ring, they would never consider themselves as suburb cities. The only connections Portland has to Boston nowadays are the affiliations with its sports teams, any other influence has slowly eroded since the 60's when it comes to transportation, banking and finance, medical, and retail. Simply put, Portland is no longer reliant on Boston for its social and economic needs as it once was just as Lewiston or Bangor are not reliant on Portland for their survival. The new world order of technology and innovation which you applaud are actually creating an independent spirit and a more isolated approach among the nation's smaller cities and its residents.

The majority of Mainers could really care less about what's going on in Boston and rarely visit the city unless there is an international flight they need to catch out of Logan, have to utilize the Amtrak connection for work, some rare medical procedure that can't be handled at Maine Health and as you have correctly stated a major concert or professional sporting event that only the large cities can provide. This is in no way a slam on Boston and its greatness because if I had to choose a big city to live in it would be my top choice with Charlotte being my runner up due to its much improved weather. Best.
 
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Tom Nevers said:
This would ring truer to me if going to a concert or other late night event didn’t require booking a hotel because trains and buses from Boston to Maine don’t operate past 11:30 PM. Heading southbound, the late night options are even worse.

TC, you’ve raved about Swiss trains in previous posts. My own experience there and in other cities/countries with better transit suggests it isn’t the distance from Maine that makes Boston feel far, but the limited ways we’re able to traverse it.
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I said nothing about taking trains up to Maine in this context. For concerts and sporting events, people from down south will drive up. It's a 90 minute or less drive. That is not a big deal for many people.
 
Portlander said:
TC, always enjoy your insight and outside the box ideas but you are the only person I know that is pushing Portland as a de facto suburb of Boston. If the day ever comes where the Office of Management and Budget removes Portland's designation as a Combined Statistical Area and includes it into Boston's metropolitan umbrella I will concede to you. Portland is too far (108 miles) from Boston and way to independent as a regional hub for locals and Bostonians to think of the city as a suburb of "beantown" in any format, real or imagined. With your logic, Hartford (100 miles) is also a de facto suburb of Boston and Philadelphia would have the same relationship with New York which is why there are defined lines drawn to determine MSA and CSA boundaries that can change over the years due to population shifts. Until that happens, I'm not buying what you're trying to sell! :)

Though Providence, Worcester and Manchester all fall under Boston's CSA and are at or near the 50 mile distance ring, they would never consider themselves as suburb cities. The only connections Portland has to Boston nowadays are the affiliations with its sports teams, any other influence has slowly eroded since the 60's when it comes to transportation, banking and finance, medical, and retail. Simply put, Portland is no longer reliant on Boston for its social and economic needs as it once was just as Lewiston or Bangor are not reliant on Portland for their survival. The new world order of technology and innovation which you applaud are actually creating an independent spirit and a more isolated approach among the nation's smaller cities and its residents.

The majority of Mainers could really care less about what's going on in Boston and rarely visit the city unless there is an international flight they need to catch out of Logan, have to utilize the Amtrak connection for work, some rare medical procedure that can't be handled at Maine Health and as you have correctly stated a major concert or professional sporting event that only the large cities can provide. This is in no way a slam on Boston and its greatness because if I had to choose a big city to live in it would be my top choice with Charlotte being my runner up due to its much improved weather. Best.
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The Hardshore Distilling owner on Wash Ave, from Brooklyn, told me that "Portland is a suburb of Boston." He's in his late 30s? It's not about statistics here. It's about what people will do, and in today's nicer cars driving somewhere from 30 min up to 90 minutes is not much time at all. They still use their phones too (younger), so sitting in a car is not a big deal. Personally, do you know how many times I've driven to Boston for purposes of Logan, TD Garden, Fenway, and college? Hundreds of times. We are a kind of suburb of that city for many, or for people in a dynamic business and those who like to do more. So maybe to some it is far away, but not others. And you are substantially incorrect that it's generally only about Logan with international flights. I can't tell you how many times I've flown much better priced domestic direct flights out of Boston. Do you have any idea how many people in the Portland area take Concord Coach to Logan so that they don't have to connect? It's a madhouse scene in the early AM. And Portland has few direct flights even from NYC airports. And so it's not convenient, unless you book the old school way of a month in advance. People in many businesses can't do it that way. Several times I've tried to fly to Portland from NYC and to get the flight day or time I needed I had to connect in D.C. or Philly (unless I paid $800 or more for a one-way flight). Yes, going backwards. A less than one hour flight can be 6 hours now! Never take connecting flights unless you have to. And forget about luggage. You might never see it again. Sorry, PWM, but you aren't a convenient airport in today's business world. Boston isn't called "The Hub" for nothin'.
 
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Well if the owner of The Hardshore Distilling (from Brooklyn) claims that Portland is a suburb of Boston I guess that makes it official. Arriving at least 20 minutes prior to your Concord Coach "madhouse scene" departure, a minimum of a 90 minute bus ride and then a two hour wait until your flight actually departs Boston is a CONNECTION on a bus instead of a plane! I'll take a flight out of PWM with one stop anywhere in the country and enjoy food options, clean restrooms and the ability to stretch my legs in a modern, climate controlled terminal any day. I agree with you on the price difference between the two airports but when you add in parking charges, cost of the bus ride round trip and the value of your time the cost savings are sometimes not that far apart. Nothing is more depressing than landing in Boston and realizing you still have at least a two hour journey before you get home, I've done it numerous times but never again unless it is an overseas flight. I also don't consider 300 riders on 6 Concord buses as a mind blowing amount of flyers that are choosing BOS over PWM on a daily basis and I bet most of them are actually international travelers. BOS is the unquestioned hub of New England but there are 15 airports in the US that are considered more of a hub!
 
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