Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

[Seanflynn78]

Hopefully the 23 story building near the Arena gets approved. Portland has so much potential to become a mid sized city, but these out of staters are creating this anti development culture.

 

[Cosakita18]

Hopefully the 23 story building near the Arena gets approved. Portland has so much potential to become a mid sized city, but these out of staters are creating this anti development culture.

I'm​ more eager to see what's in the works for Portland Square and Midtown version 3.0. Both sites have lots of potential to add to Portland's skyline.

Haven't heard much news about either of those projects for a while now.

 

[markhb]

Hopefully the 23 story building near the Arena gets approved. Portland has so much potential to become a mid sized city, but these out of staters are creating this anti development culture.

The one that was proposed in 1986?

But I agree with your main point. I think a lot of Mainers don't have issues with development in Portland, since it's Maine's major city. The objectors are those who moved here from away looking for a cheaper version of Somerville, or else Camden with pho.

 

[mainejeff]

Ha. Maine, the only place in the world in which people call 14 story buildings, "towers." It's these types of words that scare people, because a tower implies tall, height, and something that you can fall off of. If you call them mid-rise buildings, then that is more accurate. It doesn't sound so scary, you know? And there are people in Portland who thought the Federated project ("4 towers") was going to create nasty street level winds that would of knocked people over, thus injuring them. I don't see this mindset going away in the near future, or until all the baby boomers here are six feet under, anyway.

You bring up an interesting point about Boomers. My apologies to those on here that might be of that generation, but I agree that Boomers are now really holding back society in so many ways. I am a 40-something GenXer so it's not like I am some 20 year old talking out of my behind. This resistance to chance and in some cases regressive policies like we are witnessing under Trump is really p*ssing me off because they (Boomers) are wasting so much time, energy and $$$ to hold on to the past. They are fighting a tide that will ultimately change with or without their approval. Sorry to get political, but my argument is more directed toward a generational divide....those roughly under 50ish and over 50ish.

 

[mainejeff]

Hopefully the 23 story building near the Arena gets approved. Portland has so much potential to become a mid sized city, but these out of staters are creating this anti development culture.

Not so sure that you can blame "out of staters". I've seen more anti-development stuff from Mainers.

 

[Seanflynn78]

To my understanding many "out of staters" want to build their McMansion or luxury condo then stop any development that could block their self entitled view/Vista of the peninsula. This mentality will lead to Portland being similar to San Francisco where only the 1% can afford it. And no, I think the city should not regulate the rental market, that just creates a bigger mess in the long run.
I did read a recent article regarding a developers vision to build a 20-23 story building close to the Cross Insurance Arena. But no sketches or proposals have been presented yet.

 

[Portlander]

The 23 story building is a vision of Tim Soley and would be built on a parcel of land in the Canal Plaza property (which includes a 10 story building) that he owns. It's actually located a couple of blocks from the Cross Arena. The latest rumor is that is has been scaled down to 18 levels of parking and hospitality use due to the smaller than average footprint. My prediction is that something will eventually get built there but may end up being in the 10-14 story range due to strict height limitations in that particular business zone.

The only realistic area downtown that can accommodate a new 20 story development is the property to the east of City Hall on Congress Street. This would include the abandoned Portland Press Herald printing building site and the adjacent Top of the Old Port parking lot. Current zoning allows for a 200 foot structure with allowance for a 35 foot mechanical/ornamental cap on the roof. This land is in close proximity to Franklin Towers (Maine's tallest) which tops out at 175' with 17 floors on the back side and the Immaculate Conception Church who's spire tops out at 204'.

 

[Max]

The only realistic area downtown that can accommodate a new 20 story development is the property to the east of City Hall on Congress Street. This would include the abandoned Portland Press Herald printing building site and the adjacent Top of the Old Port parking lot. Current zoning allows for a 200 foot structure with allowance for a 35 foot mechanical/ornamental cap on the roof. This land is in close proximity to Franklin Towers (Maine's tallest) which tops out at 175' with 17 floors on the back side and the Immaculate Conception Church who's spire tops out at 204'.

Indeed as most here know this was the location of the short-lived proposal by Joe Boulos to build a new arena and 17-story office tower. I have to believe that this parcel will be redeveloped before long. It's too valuable to be a parking lot.

 

[Portlander]

Imagine Portland's skyline if Joe Boulos could have developed that project in addition to his 12 story courthouse proposal on Federal Street. Former USMC aviator, nice guy and a class act. Too bad there was the usual negative hurdles that hinder most height sensitive developments in Portland.

 

[markhb]

I'm actually glad that that Boulos project didn't happen, because I think that that space calls for something that both has a distinctive roofline and is the tallest building in northern New England (i.e., taller than either of those ugly things in Manchester), and that building had neither. I actually emailed him about it, and he said that unfortunately the business climate and financing wouldn't allow him to go taller.

Thanks for the reminder about the Union St. project; I had forgotten about it.

 

[Portlander]

Odds of Portland ever having the tallest building in northern New England are pretty slim in my opinion. City Hall Plaza in Manchester is 275' in height and Portland's current limit is 235' and would require a contentious zoning change and a reversal in attitude by the NIMBY groups towards loftier towers. I do see an 18 story/215' mixed use structure in Portland's future but would be surprised if anything taller ever materializes.

 

[Hubman]

Are their any renderings of this tower?

 

[Hubman]

I just found out there was a plan for a pair of 635 foot, 41 story hotels in South Portland. Imagine if those had been built!

 

[Dr. StrangeHat]

I just found out there was a plan for a pair of 635 foot, 41 story hotels in South Portland. Imagine if those had been built!

Yeah, it was a bit of a pipe dream from a wealthy NYC developer who now lives on Hope Island out in Casco Bay.

They're still interested in developing that property: http://www.pressherald.com/2016/09/...elopment-effort-on-south-portland-waterfront/

They also own the property next to city hall where the old Press Herald printing building currently sits (adjacent to the Top of the Old Port parking lot) and a few other downtown buildings.

 

[Hubman]

Turns out it was kind of fugly.

 

[Cosakita18]

They also own the property next to city hall where the old Press Herald printing building currently sits (adjacent to the Top of the Old Port parking lot) and a few other downtown buildings.

If I remember correctly Archetype has a rendering / proposal for a 10-story "Law Building" on that site (Corner of Congress and Pearl) but so far nothing concrete has materialized. I assume this idea is aimed at USM, who has stated their desire to move their law school to a centralized downtown location.

 

[Dr. StrangeHat]

Yeah, I think someone may have posted that one a little while back (maybe you? I can't remember). I'm curious about the massings attached to the back of that potential building, since nothing exists there today. I wonder if they are an extension of the building, just not designed yet, or if they are just rough massings for additional potential development on the property? that whole lot is about 2.3 acres, so you can fit something of scale there. I believe it's also zoned for height.

 

[Cosakita18]

Yeah, I think someone may have posted that one a little while back (maybe you? I can't remember). I'm curious about the massings attached to the back of that potential building, since nothing exists there today. I wonder if they are an extension of the building, just not designed yet, or if they are just rough massings for additional potential development on the property? that whole lot is about 2.3 acres, so you can fit something of scale there. I believe it's also zoned for height.

Maybe student housing? USM is in the process of demolishing some of their older dorm facilities in Gorham http://news.keepmecurrent.com/double-demolition-in-sight-for-old-dorms/

and they've stated their desire to create more student living options in Portland, I think as of right now they're leasing space in Bayside Village to solve their campus housing shortage (I feel bad for the students who have to suffer through that experience)

 

[Corey]

That rendering above of a building at the corner of Congress & Pearl looks really nice to me. I appreciate the different heights and setbacks because it feels like a lot of the newer things are just big squares. Any additional investments in the city by the University of Maine system seem like a plus.

Some recent photos...

India Street Neighborhood, including 62 India and Luminato Condos:

AC by Marriott Hotel

16 Middle Street Offices

101 York St.

17 Carleton St (I think this fits into the neighborhood really well, nice to see my West End getting some new buildings too)

Hiawatha/667 Congress

 

[Dr. StrangeHat]

India Street Neighborhood, including 62 India and Luminato Condos:

This shot right here is why you're a brilliant photographer, Corey. Not only are you capturing two development projects at once, but you're also capturing the overall juxtaposition of the Luminato Condos perfectly and a brilliant sunset against the two tallest structures in Portland.

Awesome, simply awesome.