Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

The new Congress Square design is on the city FB site, and that's about all there is--no info other than the statement that if the referendum does not go through, "Congress Square could like this." I hate to be cynical, but I think the chances of this design happening are about on par with winning the lottery.

Well, great news! Now it's going to look... just like it looks now. Which is an ugly hole in the ground that nobody cared about until it was sold to the hotel developer.

I wonder if this group will try to block Bayside revitalization next.
 
I don't think this particular group is focused on Bayside, but I haven't gone looking to find out if any additional amicus briefs were filed in that court case.

On the plus side, I was in the Top of the East last night (first time since the renovations) and the manager I spoke to seemed hopeful that something may happen at some point (since they've already put decent money into that plaza). Plus, I agree with the conventional wisdom that a standalone referendum directly on the sale of the plaza, per the terms of the ordinance just passed, will easily succeed in the broader turnout of the November election. Particularly since the "Protect Portland's Parks" FUD campaign focused on every jewel of a park in the city (e.g., Deering Oaks) and never mentioned Congress Square Plaza itself.
 
Noticed SLAB had a soft opening last night, so I walked in to check it out. I'm not going to go into any detail, but I think we have a hit here--this place could be the coolest place for beer/pizza in the entire country. (I spend a lot of time in LA, NY, Boston, etc. for my work).
 
Nice, I drove by last couple nights but didn't know if it was soft opening or friends and family. Maybe I'll go tonight.
 
Munjoy Heights
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Monroe is off the midtown appeal -- court found no standing. Other plaintiffs remain...
 
Wow, what a tool.

Oh and Slab is the most impressive boss eatery in the history of portland. Interior is sick. Patio is awesome. Food is the bomb. Beer selection is insane
 
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the expansion of the International Marine Terminal (Eimskip container facility) this upcoming Monday. The materials are here under the heading of 528 Commercial Street.
 
Wow, what a tool.

Oh and Slab is the most impressive boss eatery in the history of portland. Interior is sick. Patio is awesome. Food is the bomb. Beer selection is insane

I went there on monday first official night and the place was mobbed. I really like the setup and vibe of the place. The pizza was excellent along with the service. I was actually underwhelmed by the beer selection, certainly better spots in portland with better selected beers. There prices for beer weren't cheap but not outrageous but what rubbed me was the large selection of low alc % of the beers they had, if i'm paying $7 i want a strong beer.
 
I saw some excavation starting on Sheridan St. yesterday. I am assuming it's for the new condo project that was approved recently.
 
^Thanks for the heads up, looking forward to seeing that project rise. Hoping it doesn't negatively impact the view from the park above it on North Street.

A view of our fancy new Martin's Point Bridge:
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There's an article and rendering (below) on the PPH website today about Redfern Properties' new proposal at 89 Anderson Street in East Bayside (currently home to 3 G's Auto and Tire Service). Looks kind of "blah" to me, but I like the idea of developing this lot for market-rate apartments and commercial space.

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Yes, "blah" is right, especially after that very cool 7 unit building they did on York street last year. And look at the guy sitting on the fourth floor balcony, boy, doesn't he look like he's having fun?! (heck, at least give him a beer or something)
 
It's not immediately related to a new development, but I had to point out this bit of nonsense, an OpEd by the editorial page editor in today's Press Herald.

There are conservatives in Portland – a lot of them. You just have to know what to look for. The Portland conservatives, for the most part, aren’t the kind who vote for Paul LePage or demand to know more about Benghazi. When they complain about Obamacare, it’s usually because it didn’t go far enough.

They can be seen as conservative only if you go back to William F. Buckley’s definition – as the guy “who stands athwart history yelling ‘Stop!’ ”

It’s not just the opposition to selling part of a neglected downtown park for development. There has been “conservative” opposition to a number of projects in the city, like the reuse of the Williston-West Church, the Federated Cos.’ “midtown” development in Bayside and the St. Lawrence Community Arts Center. This kind of activism is part of the city’s culture, going back to the historic preservation movement and the citizen-initiated working waterfront zoning referendum in the 1980s.

By the end of the piece, he winds up coining the term "left-wing conservative" to describe them, when pretty much anyone on this board could have just gone ahead and said NIMBY's or BANANAs and been done with it.
 
It appears Maine Med has started construction on their new glass operating room structure.
 
Maine Wharf:
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Shipyard Summer Fest next door:
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409 Cumberland Ave:
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