Infill and Small Developments | Portland

[nomc]

Aurora, 64 Pine Street

This one isn't dead (unfortunately) - they're hoping to amend from 9 units to 12 units, add a basement level for small storage spaces. It looks like adding more parking to accommodate the additional residential units has caused the commercial space to shrink. Exterior renders look the same to me.

 

[cneal]

This one isn't dead (unfortunately) - they're hoping to amend from 9 units to 12 units, add a basement level for small storage spaces. It looks like adding more parking to accommodate the additional residential units has caused the commercial space to shrink. Exterior renders look the same to me.

Hmmm, so the revised "Aurora Portland" would be a building of the same size above ground, but with 3 more units crammed in, plus a new basement?

So to recap the changes from the previous version (which failed to pencil out):

• This one will have considerably higher construction costs with the additional excavation, plus all the construction cost inflation since the original proposal from 2024;
• Smaller units, but 33% more of them;
• Higher interest rates for the construction loan and the buyers' mortgages;
• Less leasable commercial space on the street level;
• BUT more parking square footage and more basement storage space.

Not sure how that's going to be a better deal for anyone.

I note that this project is being sponsored by the realtor Tom Landry. His asking prices for these start at $1.7 million which would give him a commission of roughly $50K per unit – but only if he can find suckers with that much money, and that much unawareness of nicer homes that are available for lower prices in the same neighborhood.

It *might* work for him – but then again, the fact that this is coming back to the planning board 2 years after it was already approved suggests that it hasn't worked for him.

 

[nomc]

From the PPH:

“The nonprofit group trying to build a 400-seat performance venue on the site of the former St. Lawrence Church in Portland is attempting a "Hail Mary" to keep the project alive.

The Hill Arts says it needs to raise $7 million for the theater's construction this year, or it will be forced to cancel the $18 million project because of expiring city approvals and rising costs. About $11 million has already been raised but the group says it needs to have the total budget in hand before construction can continue.”

https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/01/portland-arts-center-may-not-get-built/

The proposed building is handsome but I won’t shed any tears if this proposal falls through. It feels like this site is better suited to housing and perhaps that will be considered if they have to go back to square one.

Just editing to note this building would be constructed at the corner of Congress and Munjoy.

View attachment 71827

The Hill Arts has submitted an amendment to the Conditional Zoning Agreement (C-58) for 76 Congress Street to allow for modifications to the previously proposed development to provide one 424 seat performance hall with additional meeting space and back of house programming and to remove the expiration date.

Originally they were planning to keep and renovate the 120 seat theater in the existing parish hall building, but now instead of a 401 seat theater with shared lobby and up upper function room, kitchen, concessions, dressings rooms, bathrooms, they're now hoping to modify the originally proposed development to a 424 seat theater with the back of house programming to instead be housed in the existing parish hall building.

 

[nomc]

Four story, 7 unit condo with covered parking being proposed for 55 St Lawrence St.

 

[cneal]

Building permit applications are in for the first 2 buildings of "Lambert Woods South", which will build 22 more homes in two 3-story buildings along the southern side of Washington Ave. Extension (across the street from these buildings)

SelfService Public Site

Citizen Self Service website

selfservice.portlandmaine.gov

 

[TC_zoid]

The Lambert Woods South phase II PDF attachment is 335 pages. Look at who's involved... A forester? A wetland scientist? This is an urban area. Quite the hefty document.

 

[nomc]

Originally they were planning to keep and renovate the 120 seat theater in the existing parish hall building, but now instead of a 401 seat theater with shared lobby and up upper function room, kitchen, concessions, dressings rooms, bathrooms, they're now hoping to modify the originally proposed development to a 424 seat theater with the back of house programming to instead be housed in the existing parish hall building.

 

[Max]

I'd love to see them get this performance space built, but it seems like they just don't have the breadth of financial support they need to get this project done. It feels like they've been floating this proposal for 15 years and as best I can tell they are still several million dollars short of their goal.