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Patrick
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they are all on this site, and the boulos tower has renderings, but the kerry anderson development is not being built right now because of the economy.
Portland Bayside
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they are all on this site, and the boulos tower has renderings, but the kerry anderson development is not being built right now because of the economy.
grittys457
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The link you gave was proposed maybe three months ago or so. Haven't heard anything on it since. That's down on commercial street.
Haven't heard about the subdivision that got passed in bayside. What did you see?
Haven't heard about the subdivision that got passed in bayside. What did you see?
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Patrick
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that subdivision is not a development, it is the arrangement of land into developable areas. this area includes the new development that includes mainehealth's office building, and the other two lots for the parking garage and united way buildings (yet to be proposed). to the east of chestnut street is more land the city is marketing, and it extends to franklin street where fox tower (a lowrise despite its name) was proposed (google it). this is just the city owned land that has been assessed for development and is being marketed to investors. I don't know what was approved about it, because my understanding was that it has always been up for sale. perhaps they rearranged the building footprints to encourage more dense building.
have you all noticed that bulldozers have been preparing the mainhealth area, whan is construction to start.
have you all noticed that bulldozers have been preparing the mainhealth area, whan is construction to start.
portlandneedsnewarena
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Today's PPH says that the 8-story Office Building at Bayside for Maine Health & United Way should be ready for occupancy in late 2010.Ah, I thought it was going to be a cluster of housing. Yes I did notice the bulldozers, but I'm not sure when they're starting construction. I only wish it was going to be a few more stories
Consigli is the contractor; I spoke with one of their employees a few weeks ago, and he told me that they're just lining up construction financing (since it's MaineHealth, in a relatively recession-proof industry, they didn't anticipate too many difficulties with this, and the commercial lending market seems to have improved somewhat since then), and expected to begin construction this spring.
If you look up the current backup material for the city's Community Development Committee, you can read about the city's ongoing negotiations with Waterman Housing to develop a mid-rise condo building east of Chestnut Street, opposite this proposed office building.
If you look up the current backup material for the city's Community Development Committee, you can read about the city's ongoing negotiations with Waterman Housing to develop a mid-rise condo building east of Chestnut Street, opposite this proposed office building.
grittys457
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"Oh interesting I just read about it cneal. 7 stories of residential and I think it said retail. Hmm...will be interesting to see how that turns out...found any renderings?"
Those plans came out years ago. I think they are somewhere on this forum, in fact I know they are. It's just phase two or three of what was built sorta across from Whole Foods.
Those plans came out years ago. I think they are somewhere on this forum, in fact I know they are. It's just phase two or three of what was built sorta across from Whole Foods.
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Patrick
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I have been thinking about it and, although I like high rises, I think Bayside should focus on developing something along these lines: (primarily the front buildings in the first picture).
I think these sorts of developments are more likely to be proposed and accepted right away, and ultimately I think they will do much more for the neighborhood then a bunch of disconnected mid rises like intermed, which is just stupid looking and detached from the rest of the city. The city should try to make an Old Port atmosphere in Bayside, not an office park. Although, I am not against office space. I think it will come once there is a greater community in the neighborhood and an investment in the landscape.
I also like an idea like this for the parcel next to the gym where the united way mid rise was planned: (and this building in the picture kind of looks like it is already built on that area)...
I'm curious to see what you think
I think these sorts of developments are more likely to be proposed and accepted right away, and ultimately I think they will do much more for the neighborhood then a bunch of disconnected mid rises like intermed, which is just stupid looking and detached from the rest of the city. The city should try to make an Old Port atmosphere in Bayside, not an office park. Although, I am not against office space. I think it will come once there is a greater community in the neighborhood and an investment in the landscape.
I also like an idea like this for the parcel next to the gym where the united way mid rise was planned: (and this building in the picture kind of looks like it is already built on that area)...
I'm curious to see what you think
F
FSUViking
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That last pic looks like Minneapolis...
I agree that that kind of development looks great. It's important that buildings have a human scale and are of high aesthetic quality. I do hope we don't get any more (mostly) brick office building boxes in Bayside. The type of examples you've give look like they would work great as transit-oriented-development if it connects with the rest of the city.
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Patrick
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Im not sure, but I think the last picture may be of st louis, MO. could be wrong.
Corey, I don't mind brick, in fact I think if it doesn't look fake like intermed then it can be quite nice. But, I do mind the monotonous blocks you mentioned. I agree with you we don't need anymore of those, regardless of the material they are made of. I think this would easily connect with downtown, and in fact that's part of the reason I think this sort of development would be better--as it would connect the urban fabric and walkability of congress street into bayside. But, larger office buildings with wide plazas in front won't, I don't think, accomplish what the city is aiming for. I still want high rises in the city of portland, I just don't want them in the wrong place. I think Boulos's proposal for the courthouse would have been great, especially if it reconnected Federal street. More than redesigning franklin arterial, what the city should focus on is reconnecting the streets it bisected, adding sidewalks, and narrowing it. It doesn't, in my opinion, need additional access lanes (although they wouldn't be bad). The city should, in the short term, without spending lots of money, just reconnect the streets Franklin cut off. It is only really buy when work gets out anyway. Now I went on a rant. I think India street will be a thriving urban street once again if franklin is redesigned right and the condos ever get built there. speaking of the condos, Pearl Place Phase II is supposed to build a seven story condo building in the current parking lot area of that apartment building on Pearl Street if and when the scrap yard moves (not E. perry, the other scrap yard). Does anyone know about the status of this move? My guess is that it is not going on...
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Patrick
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I think construction is beginning to pick up speed on the bayside trail, from what I have seen on the sites the city is trying to sell. should be nice.
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Patrick
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the bayside trail is now walkable. what a major improvement this will be. the neighborhood is starting to come together.
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Patrick
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I think someone should let these people know that the NEW mainehealth and united way building is just a development site which is still for sale.
Portland seeks ideas for King memorial planned for Bayside
The first of two sessions will be held from 7 to 9 tonight at the Maine Historical Society.
By MATT WICKENHEISER, Staff Writer February 11, 2010
PORTLAND ? The city will host a forum tonight to seek ideas for how Portland can honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has identified a site off the planned Bayside Trail, near the new Maine Health/United Way building, for a memorial.
"It's important to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King," said Rachel Talbot Ross, Portland's director of equal opportunity and multicultural affairs. "He's one of the figures that represent a worldwide commitment to the issues of peace, justice and democracy."
In 2008, the City Council assigned the commission to identify a memorial site and establish principles for the commemoration, including connecting King's belief and legacy to the daily life of the city. The goal isn't to have merely a statue of King, said Talbot Ross.
"We're hoping to design a space that is reflective, challenges you a little, has some opportunities for you to critically think about how Dr. King's legacy is being realized today," she said. "We're hoping this commemoration isn't literally about one man, but incorporates thematically the ideology he promoted."
Bayside is an appropriate neighborhood for such a tribute, she said. The neighborhood has been home to waves of immigration, she noted, and it has combinations of creative, political, social and economic tension.
"It has a very unique combination of the things we both struggle with and we celebrate," she said.
The city plans two forums, from 7 to 9 tonight at the Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St., and from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Shaarey Tphiloh synagogue, 76 Noyes St.
The commission plans to display final design concepts in August, and make a recommendation to the City Council in October. The goal is to start a capital campaign in 2011, and to release construction plans in 2012.
Portland seeks ideas for King memorial planned for Bayside
The first of two sessions will be held from 7 to 9 tonight at the Maine Historical Society.
By MATT WICKENHEISER, Staff Writer February 11, 2010
PORTLAND ? The city will host a forum tonight to seek ideas for how Portland can honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has identified a site off the planned Bayside Trail, near the new Maine Health/United Way building, for a memorial.
"It's important to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King," said Rachel Talbot Ross, Portland's director of equal opportunity and multicultural affairs. "He's one of the figures that represent a worldwide commitment to the issues of peace, justice and democracy."
In 2008, the City Council assigned the commission to identify a memorial site and establish principles for the commemoration, including connecting King's belief and legacy to the daily life of the city. The goal isn't to have merely a statue of King, said Talbot Ross.
"We're hoping to design a space that is reflective, challenges you a little, has some opportunities for you to critically think about how Dr. King's legacy is being realized today," she said. "We're hoping this commemoration isn't literally about one man, but incorporates thematically the ideology he promoted."
Bayside is an appropriate neighborhood for such a tribute, she said. The neighborhood has been home to waves of immigration, she noted, and it has combinations of creative, political, social and economic tension.
"It has a very unique combination of the things we both struggle with and we celebrate," she said.
The city plans two forums, from 7 to 9 tonight at the Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St., and from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Shaarey Tphiloh synagogue, 76 Noyes St.
The commission plans to display final design concepts in August, and make a recommendation to the City Council in October. The goal is to start a capital campaign in 2011, and to release construction plans in 2012.
FrankLloydMike
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From what little I know of Bayside, that seems like the ideal type of development for that area. It has the perfect combination of high density and a connection to the street--perfect for creating the sort of walkable, transit-oriented mixed-use neighborhoods people are preferring to return to. I feel like it's also more compatible with the Bayside Trail and that sort of thing, too--my sense is that with a bunch of high rises the trail wouldn't be much different than any suburban winding trail, and the demographic of people who would be interested in using a trail for recreation and transportation are probably more likely to want to live and work somewhere where they don't need to take an elevator every time they leave.
Aside from just seeing a bunch of parking lots return to being a neighborhood, another benefit I see from a redeveloped Bayside is something Patrick has addressed: that the population of Portland has shifted form the peninsula. Even if Bayside attracts mostly young people and retirees (and there's nothing to say that it can't attract families), my guess would be that you'd see more of a balance in the population between the dense peninsula and the suburban rest of the city.
Aside from just seeing a bunch of parking lots return to being a neighborhood, another benefit I see from a redeveloped Bayside is something Patrick has addressed: that the population of Portland has shifted form the peninsula. Even if Bayside attracts mostly young people and retirees (and there's nothing to say that it can't attract families), my guess would be that you'd see more of a balance in the population between the dense peninsula and the suburban rest of the city.
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Patrick
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Thanks Corey, that's from an angle we don't often get to see. The official public celebration for the Trail's grand opening is coming up, August 19th, from 4-6. I just received the notification from the Trust for Public Land in the mail today, confirming what had for a while been a tentative date.
I really can't believe Walgreens snuck in there. Its kind of like two steps forward (the trail) and one step backwards (the walgreens). What ever happened of the "Urban Vision"? At least the Walgreens in what's now known as Congress Square Park was urban to a degree. This new store, however, does nothing to change the existing parking layout, and is, therefore, a waste of time in my opinion. The store will become entrenched as an institution in that neighborhood, used for its convenience but despised for its ugliness. Why not open the neighborhood up for a walmart too? After all, taxes are taxes, right? Pathetic. The zoning in this neighborhood should have been a lot more strict. From what I understand, projects like Whole Foods (really not that bad) snuck in under a loophole that someone forgot to close when creating the framework for a new urban village, but that was all supposed to have been changed. Minimum stories, floor heights, etc. Maximum setbacks from the street, etc. Although the previously existing use was allowed as a nonconforming use, any new development should be be required to strictly comply with an urban vision. This does not and can not. Anything with a parking lot in front is anti-urban.
I really can't believe Walgreens snuck in there. Its kind of like two steps forward (the trail) and one step backwards (the walgreens). What ever happened of the "Urban Vision"? At least the Walgreens in what's now known as Congress Square Park was urban to a degree. This new store, however, does nothing to change the existing parking layout, and is, therefore, a waste of time in my opinion. The store will become entrenched as an institution in that neighborhood, used for its convenience but despised for its ugliness. Why not open the neighborhood up for a walmart too? After all, taxes are taxes, right? Pathetic. The zoning in this neighborhood should have been a lot more strict. From what I understand, projects like Whole Foods (really not that bad) snuck in under a loophole that someone forgot to close when creating the framework for a new urban village, but that was all supposed to have been changed. Minimum stories, floor heights, etc. Maximum setbacks from the street, etc. Although the previously existing use was allowed as a nonconforming use, any new development should be be required to strictly comply with an urban vision. This does not and can not. Anything with a parking lot in front is anti-urban.
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Patrick
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Mike, thanks for the input. I can definitely see how you would think that from an outside perspective, and your points are all valid. However, Bayside is still considered on the "peninsula", and in fact at one time it sort of was, in itself, a center of population. The idea is to try to kind of re-establish it as a livable, walkable, business, social services, and recreation center. So far, the city has seen mixed results. This store is actually an adaptive re-use of a previously existing location, so the development is not really replacing a parking lot (I wish it was) but instead is just changing the use of an already existing suburban style set back shopping venue. I agree that in many areas, the urban attraction of a place for livability purposes mandates height restrictions, but I also think some areas, especially in Bayside, are ideally situated for major height increases, because the city has no room to grow along congress street, and if growth isn't concentrated at the core (which Bayside is part of, in my opinion), then sprawl only becomes worse. Still, good points that are definitely worth taking into consideration.