Smuttynose
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I heard on the radio today that a new comedy club was opening in Portland. Anybody know anything about it?
grittys457
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Just going in where Joker's and turfs is on warren ave. It will fail, trust me.
P
Patrick
Guest
yeah. it will fail. thats not even "portland" really, its westbrook. Well, it is portland, but if you were from here youd know what I mean. it will fail.
Smuttynose
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- May 26, 2006
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$80 million development proposed for Saco Island
An ambitious project was presented Tuesday that could change the face of two southern Maine cities.
Saco Island sits on the river between downtown Saco and Biddeford. Now a development group called Saco Island LLC wants to develop the old mill complex into a mixed-use campus. The campus would have businesses, a UMaine branch, retail shops, apartments, condos and a marina. The idea is to have people live within walking distance of their jobs, with nearby rail service also available.
The project calls for an investment of over $80,000,000.
"This is not your run of the mill, just for profit real estate development. If we're going to make this vision a reality, it's going to have to be a true community development project and it will not be possible without a partnership with the city and the community," said Sam Spencer from Saco Island LLC.
The project is not a done deal. The company now hopes to raise the money, as well as public support, for what it calls Saco Island's complete makeover. One possible sticking point is the presence of MERC, the trash-burning energy recovery plant.
NEWS CENTER
An ambitious project was presented Tuesday that could change the face of two southern Maine cities.
Saco Island sits on the river between downtown Saco and Biddeford. Now a development group called Saco Island LLC wants to develop the old mill complex into a mixed-use campus. The campus would have businesses, a UMaine branch, retail shops, apartments, condos and a marina. The idea is to have people live within walking distance of their jobs, with nearby rail service also available.
The project calls for an investment of over $80,000,000.
"This is not your run of the mill, just for profit real estate development. If we're going to make this vision a reality, it's going to have to be a true community development project and it will not be possible without a partnership with the city and the community," said Sam Spencer from Saco Island LLC.
The project is not a done deal. The company now hopes to raise the money, as well as public support, for what it calls Saco Island's complete makeover. One possible sticking point is the presence of MERC, the trash-burning energy recovery plant.
NEWS CENTER
P
Patrick
Guest
that is a dump.
P
Patrick
Guest
P
Patrick
Guest
downloaded this cool thing called google sketch up
P
Patrick
Guest
1.) Riverwalk: Parking garage due to rise; luxury condos to follow
2.) Westin: Developer seeks time for revision before construction
1. Portland's effort to develop a new neighborhood on its eastern waterfront will show signs of progress in December.
That's when construction of a 719-space parking garage is scheduled to start at Fore and Hancock streets as part of the $100 million Riverwalk project.
The project includes The Longfellow at Ocean Gateway, a 116-unit luxury condominium complex with 80 underground parking spaces. Construction of that phase of the project is expected to start in the spring, lead developers Drew Swenson and Fred Forsley said Thursday.
Riverwalk LLC is moving forward after forming a financial partnership with Intercontinental Real Estate Corp., a Boston-based asset management and real estate development company. Intercontinental has built several residential and commercial projects in Boston, Providence, R.I., and New Haven, Conn., said Nicholas Iselin, the company's development and construction director.
"Portland is just a logical extension of our strategy to build in New England," Iselin said. "Portland is a destination for many different people for many different reasons."
Swenson and Forsley's announcement is the latest advance in a five-year effort by Portland officials to foster redevelopment of a patchwork of older commercial buildings and parking lots at Commercial and India streets.
The four-acre, two-block project includes an acre of former city land at the planned extensions of Commercial and Hancock streets.
The City Council agreed to sell the land to Riverwalk for $885,000 last year after seeking proposals to build a parking garage near the Ocean Gateway cruise-ship terminal, which is under construction at Commercial Street and Franklin Arterial.
The deal included a special zoning contract, a $5 million property tax break over 13 years and a requirement that construction of the parking garage start by this December, said Jack Lufkin, Portland's economic development director. The city started rezoning the area to promote commercial and residential redevelopment in 2001.
"We're building out two entirely new city blocks with this project," Lufkin said.
The condominium complex is named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poet who was born near Fore and Hancock streets. The sprawling brick, metal and glass building would be connected to the historic Grand Trunk Railroad building at India and Commercial streets.
Other features of the project include retail space, a five-story office building at India and Fore streets and a 40-unit, market-rate apartment building to be built later at Hancock and Middle streets.
Building trade unions are investing pension funds in the project, Iselin said, and Intercontinental plans to hire union workers whenever possible.
Other Riverwalk partners are Alexander Spaulding, former president of Hinckley Yachts, and Stephen Brackett of Ironside Capital in Framingham, Mass.
Forsley, who owns the nearby Shipyard Brewing Co., contributed land to the project. Riverwalk also purchased the Breakaway Tavern at 35 India St., which will hold a closing party Sunday night.
"I bought the building knowing this might happen," said tavern owner James Gilbert, who said he did "quite well" in selling the bar.
Iselin said his company expects to market the project to people who are downsizing from larger homes but still want luxury amenities. Although the real estate market has cooled lately, the developers believe The Longfellow will be successful because it will fill a niche in Portland.
"There's nothing like it in the market," Forsley said.
Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be reached at 791-6328 or at:
kbouchard@pressherald.com
Reader comments
Kevin Donoghue, Candidate for City Council: District One of PTLD, ME
Oct 6, 2006 12:10 PM
Lesley asked: "Why is all the new housing construction in Portland "luxury?" needs an explanation: Inaction by our City Council.
Our zoning ordinances are such that they encourage excessive parking and discourage small units so as to make at hard to make money on a normal project, UNLESS it is one that it is marketing to the very wealthy, who want the excessive parking and the larger units. Our zoning ordinances are biases against affordable housing. Not in a generation has a rental building been built without public subsidy. Exclusive land use reles are a reason.
The financial incentives for the city favor inaction on our luxury housing imbalance. Because a large number of these new units will not be primary residences, they will not be subject to the Homestead Exemption and therefore will pay taxes on their full values. Because many of these units will be occupied only part-time or by childless couples, they will add few children to the school system and much to the tax base - further incentive for inaction on affordable housing for working families - at a time when the official orthodoxy is to close down our schools.
In terms of tax base, we have every incentive to suffer the status quo, which hurts many of us.
If we really want to export our tax burden to the jet-and-yacht set, we should raise our tourism taxes, not have the rest of us (I rent) subsidize the more fortunate who have been able to buy in.
If we want to make sure that we have affordable housing, we can encourage it by reforming our zoning and require it by an inclusionary zoning ordinance, which could make a percentage of units in new condo developments or subdivisions be permenantly affordable to our working families.
Portland is doing enough to preserve Portlanders.
joe of portland, me
Oct 6, 2006 11:25 AM
great...who is going to buy all these units? how does this tie in to the ocean gate terminal?
why can they sell their units, yet the westin could get no pre-sales?
Sloan of Portland, ME
Oct 6, 2006 10:22 AM
Portland has fallen into the trap of becoming yet another city where all residences will be essentially gated or ghetto [i.e., subsidized]. This is destroying what made Portland attractive--that it was a city with diversity, more organic than artificial construct--which is what it's rapidly becoming.
Reg of Bangor, ME
Oct 6, 2006 9:57 AM
So the Portland City Council is squarely behind luxury housing that most can't afford but is squarely against opening a great restaurant (Hooters) that most people like and would patronize.
Just so I am clear....
2. Plans to build a Westin hotel/condominium complex in Portland are being put on hold, the project's developer said Thursday.
A spokesman for the Rhode Island company leading the development, The Procaccianti Group, confirmed that it's asking city officials for a one-year extension of its site plan approval. That would give developers time to reconsider the size and tenant mix of the venture, said Ralph Izzi, Procaccianti's communications director.
The initial project was valued at $110 million. It called for a 223-room hotel with 97 luxury condominiums, 20,000 square feet of retail space and underground parking at the shuttered Jordan Meats plant, a site bounded by Franklin , Fore, India and Middle streets. Groundbreaking was anticipated this past summer.
Now Procaccianti is looking to add office space to the mix, Izzi said, and is likely to scale back the overall size of the development. In the meantime, the company plans to demolish the old factory and create a parking lot. That could happen by this winter, Izzi said.
Procaccianti's decision to shift gears wasn't unexpected. As the real estate market began cooling earlier this year, speculation increased that the developer was having trouble selling all the condominium units, at asking prices ranging from $550,000 to more than $1 million.
In August, the firm sent out a press release saying it would scale down the number of residential units. In an interview at the time, Tom Niles, Procaccianti's executive vice president for development, said the change also would reduce the number of hotel rooms.
The Westin project has been closely watched because it's considered a key part of the redevelopment of Portland's eastern waterfront. The development is expected to complement the city's nearby Ocean Gateway cruise ship and ferry terminal, which is under construction.
Other privately funded projects also could add hotel rooms, condos, parking and office space to the area.
Riverwalk LLC is set to break ground in December on a $100 million project at Commercial Street and Franklin Arterial that includes a 719-space parking garage and a 116-unit luxury condominium complex. The Village at Ocean Gate LLC is seeking special zoning from the City Council next week for 176 residential condos on Middle, Newbury and Hancock streets. That project is expected to top $45 million.
Thursday's announcement by Procaccianti contrasts sharply with expectations 10 months ago.
Last December, invited guests sipped champagne and nibbled caviar at a private cocktail reception in Portland to introduce the project. Michael Liberty, principal in the South Portland-based Liberty Cos. and a partner in the venture, mingled with southern Maine's real estate and business elite. He expressed confidence that all the condominiums would be under contract within a month.
Liberty couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.
Procaccianti made its intentions known to Portland officials on Wednesday when it sent a representative to meet with the City Hall planning staff.
Lee Urban, Portland's planning and development director, said ordinances allow for an automatic, one-year extension for site plans.
"It was a positive meeting," Urban said. "The clear statement was that they wanted to go forward, but they just needed to pause, in light of the current real estate market."
Izzi said Procaccianti is committed to developing a project in the city, adding that it will be costly to demolish the Jordan Meats building and create parking.
"That demonstrates our commitment to the site," he said.
Izzi also refuted speculation that the company has been unable to line up lenders to back the project. "Financing has never been an issue," he said.
With the project on hold, the company has stopped marketing the condominiums, called The Residences at the Westin Portland. It also has removed the project from its Web site and refunded deposits to hopeful buyers, Izzi said.
Staff Writer Tux Turkel can be contacted at 791-6462 or at:
tturkel@pressherald.com
Reader comments
sd of portland, me
Oct 6, 2006 11:30 AM
ummm huh? with all do respect lee...are you kidding me that this is positive...there is no way they will spend money on making a parking lot? there is also no way it takes a year to figure out what you want to build...it is simply a way of not taking this project back through the public process...this project is not going to happen...at least this company is smart enough to realize that...they should build a bunch of retail and office spaces and call it a day
LB of Portland, ME
Oct 6, 2006 9:36 AM
The original concept looked great. Too bad the "Procrastinati Group" has no follow-through.
2.) Westin: Developer seeks time for revision before construction
1. Portland's effort to develop a new neighborhood on its eastern waterfront will show signs of progress in December.
That's when construction of a 719-space parking garage is scheduled to start at Fore and Hancock streets as part of the $100 million Riverwalk project.
The project includes The Longfellow at Ocean Gateway, a 116-unit luxury condominium complex with 80 underground parking spaces. Construction of that phase of the project is expected to start in the spring, lead developers Drew Swenson and Fred Forsley said Thursday.
Riverwalk LLC is moving forward after forming a financial partnership with Intercontinental Real Estate Corp., a Boston-based asset management and real estate development company. Intercontinental has built several residential and commercial projects in Boston, Providence, R.I., and New Haven, Conn., said Nicholas Iselin, the company's development and construction director.
"Portland is just a logical extension of our strategy to build in New England," Iselin said. "Portland is a destination for many different people for many different reasons."
Swenson and Forsley's announcement is the latest advance in a five-year effort by Portland officials to foster redevelopment of a patchwork of older commercial buildings and parking lots at Commercial and India streets.
The four-acre, two-block project includes an acre of former city land at the planned extensions of Commercial and Hancock streets.
The City Council agreed to sell the land to Riverwalk for $885,000 last year after seeking proposals to build a parking garage near the Ocean Gateway cruise-ship terminal, which is under construction at Commercial Street and Franklin Arterial.
The deal included a special zoning contract, a $5 million property tax break over 13 years and a requirement that construction of the parking garage start by this December, said Jack Lufkin, Portland's economic development director. The city started rezoning the area to promote commercial and residential redevelopment in 2001.
"We're building out two entirely new city blocks with this project," Lufkin said.
The condominium complex is named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poet who was born near Fore and Hancock streets. The sprawling brick, metal and glass building would be connected to the historic Grand Trunk Railroad building at India and Commercial streets.
Other features of the project include retail space, a five-story office building at India and Fore streets and a 40-unit, market-rate apartment building to be built later at Hancock and Middle streets.
Building trade unions are investing pension funds in the project, Iselin said, and Intercontinental plans to hire union workers whenever possible.
Other Riverwalk partners are Alexander Spaulding, former president of Hinckley Yachts, and Stephen Brackett of Ironside Capital in Framingham, Mass.
Forsley, who owns the nearby Shipyard Brewing Co., contributed land to the project. Riverwalk also purchased the Breakaway Tavern at 35 India St., which will hold a closing party Sunday night.
"I bought the building knowing this might happen," said tavern owner James Gilbert, who said he did "quite well" in selling the bar.
Iselin said his company expects to market the project to people who are downsizing from larger homes but still want luxury amenities. Although the real estate market has cooled lately, the developers believe The Longfellow will be successful because it will fill a niche in Portland.
"There's nothing like it in the market," Forsley said.
Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be reached at 791-6328 or at:
kbouchard@pressherald.com
Reader comments
Kevin Donoghue, Candidate for City Council: District One of PTLD, ME
Oct 6, 2006 12:10 PM
Lesley asked: "Why is all the new housing construction in Portland "luxury?" needs an explanation: Inaction by our City Council.
Our zoning ordinances are such that they encourage excessive parking and discourage small units so as to make at hard to make money on a normal project, UNLESS it is one that it is marketing to the very wealthy, who want the excessive parking and the larger units. Our zoning ordinances are biases against affordable housing. Not in a generation has a rental building been built without public subsidy. Exclusive land use reles are a reason.
The financial incentives for the city favor inaction on our luxury housing imbalance. Because a large number of these new units will not be primary residences, they will not be subject to the Homestead Exemption and therefore will pay taxes on their full values. Because many of these units will be occupied only part-time or by childless couples, they will add few children to the school system and much to the tax base - further incentive for inaction on affordable housing for working families - at a time when the official orthodoxy is to close down our schools.
In terms of tax base, we have every incentive to suffer the status quo, which hurts many of us.
If we really want to export our tax burden to the jet-and-yacht set, we should raise our tourism taxes, not have the rest of us (I rent) subsidize the more fortunate who have been able to buy in.
If we want to make sure that we have affordable housing, we can encourage it by reforming our zoning and require it by an inclusionary zoning ordinance, which could make a percentage of units in new condo developments or subdivisions be permenantly affordable to our working families.
Portland is doing enough to preserve Portlanders.
joe of portland, me
Oct 6, 2006 11:25 AM
great...who is going to buy all these units? how does this tie in to the ocean gate terminal?
why can they sell their units, yet the westin could get no pre-sales?
Sloan of Portland, ME
Oct 6, 2006 10:22 AM
Portland has fallen into the trap of becoming yet another city where all residences will be essentially gated or ghetto [i.e., subsidized]. This is destroying what made Portland attractive--that it was a city with diversity, more organic than artificial construct--which is what it's rapidly becoming.
Reg of Bangor, ME
Oct 6, 2006 9:57 AM
So the Portland City Council is squarely behind luxury housing that most can't afford but is squarely against opening a great restaurant (Hooters) that most people like and would patronize.
Just so I am clear....
2. Plans to build a Westin hotel/condominium complex in Portland are being put on hold, the project's developer said Thursday.
A spokesman for the Rhode Island company leading the development, The Procaccianti Group, confirmed that it's asking city officials for a one-year extension of its site plan approval. That would give developers time to reconsider the size and tenant mix of the venture, said Ralph Izzi, Procaccianti's communications director.
The initial project was valued at $110 million. It called for a 223-room hotel with 97 luxury condominiums, 20,000 square feet of retail space and underground parking at the shuttered Jordan Meats plant, a site bounded by Franklin , Fore, India and Middle streets. Groundbreaking was anticipated this past summer.
Now Procaccianti is looking to add office space to the mix, Izzi said, and is likely to scale back the overall size of the development. In the meantime, the company plans to demolish the old factory and create a parking lot. That could happen by this winter, Izzi said.
Procaccianti's decision to shift gears wasn't unexpected. As the real estate market began cooling earlier this year, speculation increased that the developer was having trouble selling all the condominium units, at asking prices ranging from $550,000 to more than $1 million.
In August, the firm sent out a press release saying it would scale down the number of residential units. In an interview at the time, Tom Niles, Procaccianti's executive vice president for development, said the change also would reduce the number of hotel rooms.
The Westin project has been closely watched because it's considered a key part of the redevelopment of Portland's eastern waterfront. The development is expected to complement the city's nearby Ocean Gateway cruise ship and ferry terminal, which is under construction.
Other privately funded projects also could add hotel rooms, condos, parking and office space to the area.
Riverwalk LLC is set to break ground in December on a $100 million project at Commercial Street and Franklin Arterial that includes a 719-space parking garage and a 116-unit luxury condominium complex. The Village at Ocean Gate LLC is seeking special zoning from the City Council next week for 176 residential condos on Middle, Newbury and Hancock streets. That project is expected to top $45 million.
Thursday's announcement by Procaccianti contrasts sharply with expectations 10 months ago.
Last December, invited guests sipped champagne and nibbled caviar at a private cocktail reception in Portland to introduce the project. Michael Liberty, principal in the South Portland-based Liberty Cos. and a partner in the venture, mingled with southern Maine's real estate and business elite. He expressed confidence that all the condominiums would be under contract within a month.
Liberty couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.
Procaccianti made its intentions known to Portland officials on Wednesday when it sent a representative to meet with the City Hall planning staff.
Lee Urban, Portland's planning and development director, said ordinances allow for an automatic, one-year extension for site plans.
"It was a positive meeting," Urban said. "The clear statement was that they wanted to go forward, but they just needed to pause, in light of the current real estate market."
Izzi said Procaccianti is committed to developing a project in the city, adding that it will be costly to demolish the Jordan Meats building and create parking.
"That demonstrates our commitment to the site," he said.
Izzi also refuted speculation that the company has been unable to line up lenders to back the project. "Financing has never been an issue," he said.
With the project on hold, the company has stopped marketing the condominiums, called The Residences at the Westin Portland. It also has removed the project from its Web site and refunded deposits to hopeful buyers, Izzi said.
Staff Writer Tux Turkel can be contacted at 791-6462 or at:
tturkel@pressherald.com
Reader comments
sd of portland, me
Oct 6, 2006 11:30 AM
ummm huh? with all do respect lee...are you kidding me that this is positive...there is no way they will spend money on making a parking lot? there is also no way it takes a year to figure out what you want to build...it is simply a way of not taking this project back through the public process...this project is not going to happen...at least this company is smart enough to realize that...they should build a bunch of retail and office spaces and call it a day
LB of Portland, ME
Oct 6, 2006 9:36 AM
The original concept looked great. Too bad the "Procrastinati Group" has no follow-through.
P
Patrick
Guest
Demand for concrete slows local projects
PORTLAND ? The construction of Maine Medical Center?s new parking garage on Congress Street will pause this winter, not because of the weather but, the hospital says, because the material needed to build the 45-foot-tall building is not available.
Across town, Drew Swenson expects his Riverwalk parking garage project will face similar delays because of the high demand for precast concrete ? a demand he says has been growing for years.
?There is a demand for concrete worldwide,? Swenson explained. ?Orders are backlogged 13 to 15 months.?
A couple years ago, a developer would wait five to six months for precast orders, Swenson said.
In the Northeast, developers look to plants in Vermont, Massachusetts or Canada for precast concrete. The concrete is cast in molds and then shipped to builders, who put the pieces together in a process Swenson compared to working with giant Legos. The backup, he said, is in the production of large pre-cast pieces used to build the floors of parking garages.
Hank Dunn, the project manager for Maine Medical Center, said he dealt with a variety of precast vendors before settling on one. Dunn said the increase in the cost of steel has made many parking garage developers turn to precast concrete for their projects.
?There are quite a number of parking garage projects in the Northeast and they all went with precast,? he said. Demand from China and India for building materials has added to the shortage, Swenson said.
Alan Simon, of Simon Design Engineering in Boston, questioned whether demand was really that high for precast concrete. He said the problem may be industry-created.
?There may be the perception of limited supply,? said Simon, who designed Riverwalk and the city?s Bayside garage.
?We have not had difficulty in obtaining precast,? Simon said, but admitted there had been some issues in the market concerning certain vendors.
Bob Whitmore of the Indiana-based National Pre-cast Concrete Association said last week he had no information confirming a shortage of precast.
Maine Medical Center is undergoing a $115 million expansion, including the new parking garage and a new hospital wing. Hospital officials in April of last year warned the city that the cost of the project could increase due to climbing construction material costs and the demand for materials in New England.
Adding to the backlog, Dunn and Swenson agreed, is the recent closing of Northeast Concrete Products, a Massachusetts precast company.?There are not enough companies out there,? Swenson said.
Swenson and his partners closed on the Riverwalk property Friday. With their attention now turned toward getting the garage built, Swenson said he is counting on a delay.
?We?re in the same situation,? Swenson said, as Maine Medical Center. He also said the demand for precast concrete would not let up anytime soon. The city, he said, will have to deal with the delay when it comes time for the planned Bayside parking garage to be built.
Maine Medical Center hopes to get its precast order in April, and complete construction of the parking garage by the end of 2007, with occupancy sometime in 2008.
Crews have completed building an extensive retaining wall ? which Dunn referred to as a ?cliff? ? on Congress Street and this week continue to lay utilities under Congress Street. The work is disrupting traffic along that section of Congress and traffic is being detoured around the site at certain times during the day.
Attempts to contact pre-cast concrete suppliers in Massachusetts for this story were unsuccessful.
Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext .106 or kbucklin@theforecaster.net.
Featured Listing
Well Maintained 2-Family!
$175,000
Offered by:
Meservier & Associates
PORTLAND ? The construction of Maine Medical Center?s new parking garage on Congress Street will pause this winter, not because of the weather but, the hospital says, because the material needed to build the 45-foot-tall building is not available.
Across town, Drew Swenson expects his Riverwalk parking garage project will face similar delays because of the high demand for precast concrete ? a demand he says has been growing for years.
?There is a demand for concrete worldwide,? Swenson explained. ?Orders are backlogged 13 to 15 months.?
A couple years ago, a developer would wait five to six months for precast orders, Swenson said.
In the Northeast, developers look to plants in Vermont, Massachusetts or Canada for precast concrete. The concrete is cast in molds and then shipped to builders, who put the pieces together in a process Swenson compared to working with giant Legos. The backup, he said, is in the production of large pre-cast pieces used to build the floors of parking garages.
Hank Dunn, the project manager for Maine Medical Center, said he dealt with a variety of precast vendors before settling on one. Dunn said the increase in the cost of steel has made many parking garage developers turn to precast concrete for their projects.
?There are quite a number of parking garage projects in the Northeast and they all went with precast,? he said. Demand from China and India for building materials has added to the shortage, Swenson said.
Alan Simon, of Simon Design Engineering in Boston, questioned whether demand was really that high for precast concrete. He said the problem may be industry-created.
?There may be the perception of limited supply,? said Simon, who designed Riverwalk and the city?s Bayside garage.
?We have not had difficulty in obtaining precast,? Simon said, but admitted there had been some issues in the market concerning certain vendors.
Bob Whitmore of the Indiana-based National Pre-cast Concrete Association said last week he had no information confirming a shortage of precast.
Maine Medical Center is undergoing a $115 million expansion, including the new parking garage and a new hospital wing. Hospital officials in April of last year warned the city that the cost of the project could increase due to climbing construction material costs and the demand for materials in New England.
Adding to the backlog, Dunn and Swenson agreed, is the recent closing of Northeast Concrete Products, a Massachusetts precast company.?There are not enough companies out there,? Swenson said.
Swenson and his partners closed on the Riverwalk property Friday. With their attention now turned toward getting the garage built, Swenson said he is counting on a delay.
?We?re in the same situation,? Swenson said, as Maine Medical Center. He also said the demand for precast concrete would not let up anytime soon. The city, he said, will have to deal with the delay when it comes time for the planned Bayside parking garage to be built.
Maine Medical Center hopes to get its precast order in April, and complete construction of the parking garage by the end of 2007, with occupancy sometime in 2008.
Crews have completed building an extensive retaining wall ? which Dunn referred to as a ?cliff? ? on Congress Street and this week continue to lay utilities under Congress Street. The work is disrupting traffic along that section of Congress and traffic is being detoured around the site at certain times during the day.
Attempts to contact pre-cast concrete suppliers in Massachusetts for this story were unsuccessful.
Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext .106 or kbucklin@theforecaster.net.
Featured Listing
Well Maintained 2-Family!
$175,000
Offered by:
Meservier & Associates
P
Patrick
Guest
Although we have none of our major projects being constructed yet...there are a few significant minor projects underway right now. One of them, the chestnut street loft condominium project, is shown below. It is being built next to Portland high school on cumberland avenue, which separates downtown from bayside, and is home to the state's two tallest buildings (15 stories and 17 stories) as well as the site of the lincoln center proposal (17 story modern office tower with attached arena, hotel, and convention center, 2005 and the lincoln square proposal from the 1980s: 4 office towers ranging in heigh from 9 stories to 275 feet). it is also kinda a ghetto.
P
Patrick
Guest
South Portland road work to begin
E-mail this page Reader Comments (below)
By TESS NACELEWICZ, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Drivers and pedestrians will find Western Avenue in South Portland safer and easier to negotiate when workers complete a $3.8 million improvement project that starts this week, state and city officials say.
The work will be done on a 0.8-mile section of Western Avenue between Maine Mall and Gorham roads, said John Mayol, project resident for the Maine Department of Transportation.
Western Avenue will be expanded from two lanes to four lanes, plus a center turning lane. Sidewalks with granite curbs will be built on both sides of the road, as part of the city's plan to make the Maine Mall area more pedestrian-friendly.
In addition, crosswalks and new traffic lights will be added at the intersections with Foden and Gorham roads.
Improvements to water mains, sewer lines and gas lines also are included in the project, paid for with federal, state and local funding.
The work won't be finished until June 2008, Mayol said. He said traffic should be allowed to flow normally during construction because two lanes will be kept open throughout the project.
However, construction workers may have to stop traffic occasionally to position equipment or allow construction vehicles to get by, so Mayol urged motorists to consider alternative routes. "Anytime we can get rid of some traffic, we appreciate it," he said.
Drivers won't notice many changes immediately. Preliminary work is just starting, with construction workers putting up signs this week, Mayol said. Then, work on the utility improvements and some drainage work will begin, Mayol said. The contractor is R.J. Grondin & Sons of Gorham, he said.
Western Avenue needs widening because it gets heavy traffic, said Tex Haeuser, South Portland's planning director. The road, which is part of Route 9, is one of the major routes to the Portland International Jetport.
He said it was first identified as a problem area in a study of the Maine Mall area in 1979. A 2001 study also identified Western Avenue as congested, Haeuser said.
Mayol said a traffic study in 2000 showed that an average of 14,840 vehicles used the road each day, and he and Haeuser said the numbers probably have increased.
Haeuser said the number of pedestrians in the mall area also has grown, which is why the city plans to increase the number of sidewalks there. The pedestrians include store employees who like to walk on lunch breaks and residents of several apartment complexes in the area, Haeuser said.
The Western Avenue project is among several major road projects in the mall area that are either completed or ongoing. One project under way is the reconstruction of Exit 3 on Interstate 295, near the intersection of Westbrook Street and Broadway. That $4.85 million project is behind schedule, and the state is seeking permission from the city to work at night to repave some roads there.
Mayol said the only night work planned for the Western Avenue project will be when new traffic lights are installed at Gorham Road.
He said the big overhanging steel structures that support the lights span the road and can't be replaced when the roads are busy.
Staff Writer Tess Nacelewicz can be contacted at 791-6367 or at:
tnacelewicz@pressherald.com
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By TESS NACELEWICZ, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Drivers and pedestrians will find Western Avenue in South Portland safer and easier to negotiate when workers complete a $3.8 million improvement project that starts this week, state and city officials say.
The work will be done on a 0.8-mile section of Western Avenue between Maine Mall and Gorham roads, said John Mayol, project resident for the Maine Department of Transportation.
Western Avenue will be expanded from two lanes to four lanes, plus a center turning lane. Sidewalks with granite curbs will be built on both sides of the road, as part of the city's plan to make the Maine Mall area more pedestrian-friendly.
In addition, crosswalks and new traffic lights will be added at the intersections with Foden and Gorham roads.
Improvements to water mains, sewer lines and gas lines also are included in the project, paid for with federal, state and local funding.
The work won't be finished until June 2008, Mayol said. He said traffic should be allowed to flow normally during construction because two lanes will be kept open throughout the project.
However, construction workers may have to stop traffic occasionally to position equipment or allow construction vehicles to get by, so Mayol urged motorists to consider alternative routes. "Anytime we can get rid of some traffic, we appreciate it," he said.
Drivers won't notice many changes immediately. Preliminary work is just starting, with construction workers putting up signs this week, Mayol said. Then, work on the utility improvements and some drainage work will begin, Mayol said. The contractor is R.J. Grondin & Sons of Gorham, he said.
Western Avenue needs widening because it gets heavy traffic, said Tex Haeuser, South Portland's planning director. The road, which is part of Route 9, is one of the major routes to the Portland International Jetport.
He said it was first identified as a problem area in a study of the Maine Mall area in 1979. A 2001 study also identified Western Avenue as congested, Haeuser said.
Mayol said a traffic study in 2000 showed that an average of 14,840 vehicles used the road each day, and he and Haeuser said the numbers probably have increased.
Haeuser said the number of pedestrians in the mall area also has grown, which is why the city plans to increase the number of sidewalks there. The pedestrians include store employees who like to walk on lunch breaks and residents of several apartment complexes in the area, Haeuser said.
The Western Avenue project is among several major road projects in the mall area that are either completed or ongoing. One project under way is the reconstruction of Exit 3 on Interstate 295, near the intersection of Westbrook Street and Broadway. That $4.85 million project is behind schedule, and the state is seeking permission from the city to work at night to repave some roads there.
Mayol said the only night work planned for the Western Avenue project will be when new traffic lights are installed at Gorham Road.
He said the big overhanging steel structures that support the lights span the road and can't be replaced when the roads are busy.
Staff Writer Tess Nacelewicz can be contacted at 791-6367 or at:
tnacelewicz@pressherald.com
P
Patrick
Guest
Thanks for the Walker Terrace picture Patrick. I was wondering how that would look in the end. It's not as imposing as I thought it would be, though I do wish it had a few more setbacks here and there. Certainly changes the complexion of that stretch of street though. My first apartment in Portland was right behind there on Walker Street. I remember when that gas station was functional!
P
Patrick
Guest
Westbrook park plans return to square one
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By ANN S. KIM, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald Thursday, October 26, 2006
WESTBROOK - City officials say the latest attempt to redevelop Saccarappa Park has hit a snag because the developer was not able to secure financing for the proposed project, which envisioned two seven-story buildings on the downtown riverfront property.
In June, a committee chose the Saccarappa Terrace project, and its mix of retail, commercial and residential space, over three other proposals. The City Council hoped to consider the proposal soon afterward, but Mayor Bruce Chuluda said the developer, Cape Builders and Remodeling, had trouble with financing. The developer could not be reached for comment.
Westbrook has made three tries to develop the 1.18-acre parcel along the Presumpscot River. Situated in the heart of downtown near several other redevelopment projects and the riverfront boardwalk, the property is seen as key to revitalization efforts.
In any case, Chuluda said he wants to see a project that includes open space and brings business downtown, whether it's some form of the Saccarappa Terrace project or one of the other three proposals.
"It's still my intention to try to make something happen on that parcel," Chuluda said. "I think we're going to be able to make that happen. It just may not be as quick as some people would have liked."
City Administrator Jerre Bryant said changes in the real estate market mean less available financing for projects. He didn't feel the 46 condominiums proposed was realistic but thought the prices -- mostly between $250,000 and $350,000 -- would not pose a problem.
The proposal for Saccarappa Terrace called for a smaller building along Main Street and a larger one along the Bridge Street spur, with a total of 82,000 square feet. The plan was for retail space on the first floor, commercial space on the second and condos on the upper levels. An underground parking garage and public open space were also part of the plan.
The other proposals were for a two-story retail and office building; a three-story office building; and a five-story building with commercial and retail space on the ground floor and condos on the upper levels.
In 2003, a proposal for a four-story office building and restaurant was withdrawn after encountering public opposition. Last year, a request for proposals yielded only two submissions and city officials didn't find either appealing.
Erik Carson, the city's director of economic and community development, said he would meet with the committee in the coming weeks to talk about how to move forward.
E-mail this page Reader Comments (below)
By ANN S. KIM, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald Thursday, October 26, 2006
WESTBROOK - City officials say the latest attempt to redevelop Saccarappa Park has hit a snag because the developer was not able to secure financing for the proposed project, which envisioned two seven-story buildings on the downtown riverfront property.
In June, a committee chose the Saccarappa Terrace project, and its mix of retail, commercial and residential space, over three other proposals. The City Council hoped to consider the proposal soon afterward, but Mayor Bruce Chuluda said the developer, Cape Builders and Remodeling, had trouble with financing. The developer could not be reached for comment.
Westbrook has made three tries to develop the 1.18-acre parcel along the Presumpscot River. Situated in the heart of downtown near several other redevelopment projects and the riverfront boardwalk, the property is seen as key to revitalization efforts.
In any case, Chuluda said he wants to see a project that includes open space and brings business downtown, whether it's some form of the Saccarappa Terrace project or one of the other three proposals.
"It's still my intention to try to make something happen on that parcel," Chuluda said. "I think we're going to be able to make that happen. It just may not be as quick as some people would have liked."
City Administrator Jerre Bryant said changes in the real estate market mean less available financing for projects. He didn't feel the 46 condominiums proposed was realistic but thought the prices -- mostly between $250,000 and $350,000 -- would not pose a problem.
The proposal for Saccarappa Terrace called for a smaller building along Main Street and a larger one along the Bridge Street spur, with a total of 82,000 square feet. The plan was for retail space on the first floor, commercial space on the second and condos on the upper levels. An underground parking garage and public open space were also part of the plan.
The other proposals were for a two-story retail and office building; a three-story office building; and a five-story building with commercial and retail space on the ground floor and condos on the upper levels.
In 2003, a proposal for a four-story office building and restaurant was withdrawn after encountering public opposition. Last year, a request for proposals yielded only two submissions and city officials didn't find either appealing.
Erik Carson, the city's director of economic and community development, said he would meet with the committee in the coming weeks to talk about how to move forward.
P
Patrick
Guest
Saccarappa Park project stumble isn't the end
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Portland Press Herald Friday, October 27, 2006
It's got to be frustrating for Westbrook officials to see yet another development vision for the town's Saccarappa Park come to a halt.
This time, it was the inability of a developer to obtain financing that stalled plans to develop the 1.8-acre plot.
Last year, a request for proposals yielded just two submissions, only one of which complied with the town's desire to develop about 60 percent of the property and leave the rest as open space.
In 2003, a proposal for a four-story building and separate restaurant was withdrawn following public opposition.
Located in the heart of the downtown near the riverfront boardwalk and other redevelopment projects, the parcel is key to Westbrook's admirable effort to embrace the river that runs through it.
The marvelous little parcel overlooks a frothy stretch of the Presumpscot River that the region's first settlers named "Saccarappa," or "falling toward the rising sun."
And as surely as Westbrook's manufacturing and mill jobs are now fading, the sun is rising on a new Westbrook.
The town is gaining a reputation as one of the hippest addresses in southern Maine. Rising real estate values will eventually encourage a developer who has both the vision and the means to build a project worthy of the town's future.
Until then, officials frustrated by the lack of success would be wise to remember that patience is the greatest of all virtues.
This is a unique and valuable piece of real estate.
They ought to make sure they get it right, instead of yielding to the inevitable pressure to just get it done.
Reader comments
patrick venne of portland, me
Oct 27, 2006 10:34 AM
One of the hippest addresses in southern maine? Maybe when those two 7-story condo towers make their way out of the ground your assertion will be more on point. Right now the town is at a crossroads, where it can either become a struggling mill town like so many other New England cities, or a desirable suburb-turned-city center alternative to portland (much like South Portland has become). I think it is really a shame that this latest project hit a snag, but I also hope its not the end of the road. 7-stories of condominiums would have a positive spin-off affect. It would forever change the image of the town from backwards to forwards thinking. Height says a lot about pride. 7 stories would be amazing density for westbrook, and the town's image would benefit greatly if this project is built the way it is currently proposed. Anything less would not be worth the trouble, and would waste valuable land. Just look at AAA headquarters in the Bayside region of Portland; they didn't build tall the first time around (5-stories) and now they are wasting an adjacent parcel of land by building a 4-story addition when it should have been a 9-story building from the start. Dont let this happen in Westbrook!
E-mail this page Reader Comments (below)
Portland Press Herald Friday, October 27, 2006
It's got to be frustrating for Westbrook officials to see yet another development vision for the town's Saccarappa Park come to a halt.
This time, it was the inability of a developer to obtain financing that stalled plans to develop the 1.8-acre plot.
Last year, a request for proposals yielded just two submissions, only one of which complied with the town's desire to develop about 60 percent of the property and leave the rest as open space.
In 2003, a proposal for a four-story building and separate restaurant was withdrawn following public opposition.
Located in the heart of the downtown near the riverfront boardwalk and other redevelopment projects, the parcel is key to Westbrook's admirable effort to embrace the river that runs through it.
The marvelous little parcel overlooks a frothy stretch of the Presumpscot River that the region's first settlers named "Saccarappa," or "falling toward the rising sun."
And as surely as Westbrook's manufacturing and mill jobs are now fading, the sun is rising on a new Westbrook.
The town is gaining a reputation as one of the hippest addresses in southern Maine. Rising real estate values will eventually encourage a developer who has both the vision and the means to build a project worthy of the town's future.
Until then, officials frustrated by the lack of success would be wise to remember that patience is the greatest of all virtues.
This is a unique and valuable piece of real estate.
They ought to make sure they get it right, instead of yielding to the inevitable pressure to just get it done.
Reader comments
patrick venne of portland, me
Oct 27, 2006 10:34 AM
One of the hippest addresses in southern maine? Maybe when those two 7-story condo towers make their way out of the ground your assertion will be more on point. Right now the town is at a crossroads, where it can either become a struggling mill town like so many other New England cities, or a desirable suburb-turned-city center alternative to portland (much like South Portland has become). I think it is really a shame that this latest project hit a snag, but I also hope its not the end of the road. 7-stories of condominiums would have a positive spin-off affect. It would forever change the image of the town from backwards to forwards thinking. Height says a lot about pride. 7 stories would be amazing density for westbrook, and the town's image would benefit greatly if this project is built the way it is currently proposed. Anything less would not be worth the trouble, and would waste valuable land. Just look at AAA headquarters in the Bayside region of Portland; they didn't build tall the first time around (5-stories) and now they are wasting an adjacent parcel of land by building a 4-story addition when it should have been a 9-story building from the start. Dont let this happen in Westbrook!
grittys457
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Poor GFI developers. Would someone please approve this project before it becomes a one story building, please.
PORTLAND: Condominium proposal undergoes third reduction
Developers have scaled back a condominium complex proposed for the Village Cafe site at Newbury, Hancock and Middle streets.
The City Council plans to hold a workshop on the proposal at 5 p.m. Monday in the City Hall council chamber.
The council postponed action on the project last week because of concerns about its size and height. First proposed in May 2005, the project has been scaled back twice before.
GFI Residential of Boston notified Portland officials on Friday that it reduced the project from four buildings to three and eliminated the fifth floor of one building, City Manager Joseph Gray Jr. said.
GFI is seeking conditional rezoning because the project would exceed the maximum front-yard setback, density and building height for the East End property.
PORTLAND: Condominium proposal undergoes third reduction
Developers have scaled back a condominium complex proposed for the Village Cafe site at Newbury, Hancock and Middle streets.
The City Council plans to hold a workshop on the proposal at 5 p.m. Monday in the City Hall council chamber.
The council postponed action on the project last week because of concerns about its size and height. First proposed in May 2005, the project has been scaled back twice before.
GFI Residential of Boston notified Portland officials on Friday that it reduced the project from four buildings to three and eliminated the fifth floor of one building, City Manager Joseph Gray Jr. said.
GFI is seeking conditional rezoning because the project would exceed the maximum front-yard setback, density and building height for the East End property.
P
Patrick
Guest
communication is key. The city needs to tell GFI exactly what they can get away with and what they cannot. Then the developers need to present something that falls within the range of stuff that they CAN get away with, and proceed. This guessing what the other side is thinking stuff is getting annoying. lets hold another workshop, shall we?