General Portland Discussion

Proposed Housing in Portland:

Parking lot next to Miss Portland Diner could pave way to affordable housing

The space is about 31,000 square feet, roughly the shape of a long, narrow triangle alongside Interstate 295. The lot has been used as a park-and-ride stop and serves the diner with parking and delivery access. Other Marginal Way businesses and apartment-dwellers also make use of the spots. The site is perhaps an unusual choice for housing: shallow in depth and tapering to a point at the eastern end. City officials say the dimensions may prove challenging for architects and engineers. But as Portland continues to battle an affordable housing crisis with limited space available, creativity is key."

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Oh yeah, I saw this last night. You got maybe 90' on the long end and 50' on the short end. Maybe 450' long? On the short end it would be the same width as one "arm" of the former student housing building on the other side of Miss Portland. Parking going to be an issue, but I'm sure you could find a way to make deliveries happen.
 
Because the building is not 100% residential, the codes are different. Just like the 465 conversion, an outside stairwell is needed for the residential units. Plus office use is still being used. This all stems from fire evacuation from a high rise building. No one thought when these buildings were built, they would house residential. Does 511 have only one stairwell or 2? Per fire residential codes, you need 2 stairwells in a building. The International Building Code (IBC) (2013) requires a minimum of two means of stair egress from all high-rise buildings unless the building is greater than 420 feet, then a minimum of three stairwells are required.
 
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Does anyone have a feel for how many housing units in Portland proper are currently under construction? And how many are proposed/working through planning? I just noticed a new submission for 60 units on Hope Ave in North Deering and a potential zoning change in East Deering to allow for a ~250 unit PRUD (on 16 acres). I know there are other relatively substantial developments proposed for North Deering/Riverton. The East Deering applicant's submission mentions Portland Plan 2030 (adopted in 2017):

This plan supports the concept that those who work in Portland should be able to live here as well,
and that, over the next decade, the city should aspire to accommodate 75% of the current daytime
population, or approximately 72,000 people. Assuming an average household size of 2.08, this
translates into a total of 2,557 new housing units over the next 10 years
 
Not a stat, idea, or feel, but Redfern must be in the lead. Thank you R.
 
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Does anyone have a feel for how many housing units in Portland proper are currently under construction? And how many are proposed/working through planning? I just noticed a new submission for 60 units on Hope Ave in North Deering and a potential zoning change in East Deering to allow for a ~250 unit PRUD (on 16 acres). I know there are other relatively substantial developments proposed for North Deering/Riverton. The East Deering applicant's submission mentions Portland Plan 2030 (adopted in 2017):

I'm sure this is just a partial list, but these are the ones I can think of that were built or approved over the last seven years or so, which adds up to about 3,300 units:
  • Port Properties Bayside: 805 units proposed
  • Portland Foreside: 600 units proposed
  • Mercy State Street: 405 units proposed
  • USM new central campus building: 379 units
  • 201 Federal: 263 units
  • Hiawatha: 139 units
  • Armature: 171 units
  • Front Street PHA: 113 units
  • Douglass Commons: 108 units
  • Avesta Valley Street: 65 units
  • Lambert Villange: 52 units
  • Bayside Anchor: 48 units
  • Washington Ave: 45 units
  • Daymark: 42 units
  • Luminato Franklin Street: 24
  • Parris Terrace: 23 units
  • Verdante Franklin Street: 22 units
 
A few more:
  • 20 Thames St.: 28 units
  • Hobsons Landing: 64 units
  • Five India: 24 units
  • Solterra - PHA : 55 units
  • 40 Free Street : 51 units
  • Hammond House: 16 units
  • Wessex Woods - Avesta: 50 units
  • Deering Place - Avesta: 62 units
  • The Goodwin - 104 Grant St : 23 units
  • Mason Block - 62 India St : 26 units
  • Stroudwater Preserve: 44 units (Single family)
  • Furman Block: 46 units
  • 45 Forest Ave redevelopment: 81 units
  • Phoenix Flats - 83 Middle Street : 45 units
  • One Joy Place: 12 units
 
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Planned / Proposed / Hypothetical housing projects:
  • Herald Square: ~300 units
  • 511 Congress St. office-residential conversion: 106 units
  • Brown Street Garage / Residential tower: ~250 units
  • Midtown (All Parcels) : ~400-600 units
 
And this doesn't include Westbrook, which will add a small portion. But they did just put out RFP's for downtown lots, so who knows. Row Row is a big question mark IMHO.
 
This could be interesting: a zone change application for 426 Presumpscot Street (near the Falmouth line, where Presumpscot meets Ocean Ave.) for a "residential project that will include rental units with a target rent affordable to 100% AMI as well as market-rate, residential condominium units and a mixed-use maker space along Presumpscot Street."

https://selfservice.portlandmaine.g...ce#/plan/2f62e418-2474-4e93-8041-b3bc3b89bec6

They're requesting the R-5a zone, which is the new zone that the city created for the Catherine McAuley development, along with B1.
 
I noticed tonight that the 7-Eleven across from Hot Suppa opened back up without gas - a little disappointing, was hoping that lot would get redeveloped.
 

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