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Patrick
Guest
anybody see the article about new flood zoning around ports and harbors. It would effectively prevent any new development or redevelopment of any and all wharfs.
That article about the flood zones was quite interesting. I do hope they can do some more work with it. I'm curious to hear about studies done for other cities, since most cities are built upon rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Patrick, you should also send your editorial to the Daily Sun and the other smaller publications that publish that sort of stuff.
Patrick, you should also send your editorial to the Daily Sun and the other smaller publications that publish that sort of stuff.
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Patrick
Guest
Some of my art
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
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Patrick
Guest
Thanks corey. It is the law in portland that you can be a sidewalk vendor of things you personally crafted, and I have been meaning to get some things together in order to sell to the tourists, but now summer is over and I am still working on the art (those shown above are not yet done). I just bought a scanner, some high quality paper, and some foam board to market the art, but have not yet done it. How much would you think someone might buy the portland art for? I was thinking $10. just to make sure I get some customers and then increase it if they really liked the art. I'll check out etsy, thanks.
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Patrick
Guest
I definitely like the first option best, the urban street. That's what was there to begin with.
next, I like the open space concept. But at the same time, I can't help but think that it still disconnects the city a bit, sort of like deering oaks cuts off oakdale from parkside. That's not a terrible thing, though, because the interstate also plays a role in that disconnect, perhaps greater than deering oaks itself. I don't know. But the last option is hideous. It looks like more traffic lanes than are currently there. And where is whole foods in this rendering, am I looking at it wrong? This is looking I believe, right? In each rendering the streetscape looks slightly different so I am trying to see where wholefoods is, because that definitely doesn't fit in with an urban street layout.
next, I like the open space concept. But at the same time, I can't help but think that it still disconnects the city a bit, sort of like deering oaks cuts off oakdale from parkside. That's not a terrible thing, though, because the interstate also plays a role in that disconnect, perhaps greater than deering oaks itself. I don't know. But the last option is hideous. It looks like more traffic lanes than are currently there. And where is whole foods in this rendering, am I looking at it wrong? This is looking I believe, right? In each rendering the streetscape looks slightly different so I am trying to see where wholefoods is, because that definitely doesn't fit in with an urban street layout.
Interesting graphics. I made it to the first big public meeting where the public gave input several months ago. I think the first one works best on this side of town. Looks a bit too wide but it's just a rendering. On the waterfront side, they actually determined that it could be just be a two lane road (one lane in each direction) except for turn lanes at intersections because the traffic is so much less on that side of the arterial than on the bayside portions.
To quote Patrick: "I like the open space concept. But at the same time, I can't help but think that it still disconnects the city a bit." Very true. You can see all of the debate about the greenway in Boston on this forum. It's great to remove a nasty roadway but just replacing it with grass doesn't add to the urban character. A 'park' or 'open space' shouldn't just be a spot of grass, it needs to provide a reason for people to go there. It needs to add something to the surroundings in order to mean more than a patch of grass in the suburbs between the Walmart and the Gas station.
To shine some light on the last one: I don't think it would work well in a low density area like this, but it is based on a model you often see in Paris. Here it is in action in one of the most beautiful cities of the world. It's Boulevard Beaumarchais if you want to check it out in google maps:
The avenue in the middle is a through-way for slightly higher speed traffic and it has the feeder roads on the side for local traffic. Public transportation takes advantage of the faster lanes in the middle while locals use the side streets. The side streets are narrow but are 2 lanes, allowing for on street parking. It works great here but would not work in Portland at this time.
To quote Patrick: "I like the open space concept. But at the same time, I can't help but think that it still disconnects the city a bit." Very true. You can see all of the debate about the greenway in Boston on this forum. It's great to remove a nasty roadway but just replacing it with grass doesn't add to the urban character. A 'park' or 'open space' shouldn't just be a spot of grass, it needs to provide a reason for people to go there. It needs to add something to the surroundings in order to mean more than a patch of grass in the suburbs between the Walmart and the Gas station.
To shine some light on the last one: I don't think it would work well in a low density area like this, but it is based on a model you often see in Paris. Here it is in action in one of the most beautiful cities of the world. It's Boulevard Beaumarchais if you want to check it out in google maps:
The avenue in the middle is a through-way for slightly higher speed traffic and it has the feeder roads on the side for local traffic. Public transportation takes advantage of the faster lanes in the middle while locals use the side streets. The side streets are narrow but are 2 lanes, allowing for on street parking. It works great here but would not work in Portland at this time.
Josh
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Yea the first option of the three they showed in the paper I liked the most. I also liked the last one, but I can't remember what they called it. I didn't like the one with a park on one side and houses on the other. It was cool seeing those graphics though. I hope something good does happen in the area though.
I think the urban street is far and away the best bet. I don't see why they can't reduce the number of lanes though to reduce the width... it seems awfully wide still.
Anyway, the reason I came to this room was to say that I was visiting my girlfriend this past weekend and we drove by the new building at UNE's campus on Steven's Ave. (Pharmacy building?). It came out MUCH better than I expected it too. I was very impressed. I haven't seen too many examples of the finished product looking better than the rendering, but this is one of them.
Anyway, the reason I came to this room was to say that I was visiting my girlfriend this past weekend and we drove by the new building at UNE's campus on Steven's Ave. (Pharmacy building?). It came out MUCH better than I expected it too. I was very impressed. I haven't seen too many examples of the finished product looking better than the rendering, but this is one of them.
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Patrick
Guest
I agree, the building does look nice. also, I think the reason they can't make the lanes smaller is that there are still access roads in the renderings, for the potential new development. I think they should be rerouted out back of the developments, to channel more traffic away from franklin and into bayside, but that probably doesn't meet their transportation goals. This project has tension between urban enthusiasts wanting dense and walkable streets and city planners who want to ensure traffic flow is not impaired. Franklin arterial is the reason there is a modern CBD (small as it may be) in Portland. the city doesnt want to jeopardize that.
I was at last night's public meeting about the Franklin redesign for a bit, long enough to see the opening presentation. It was neat to see some of the ideas mentioned at the last big meeting I went to put into drawings. A note about the urban street design, it would be much narrower and pedestrian friendly on the waterfront side of Congress Street (between Congress and Commercial). Also notice that the picture above from the newspaper shows it at its widest section and there is a lane of parking on each side and a bike lane so it's not overly wide.
I would love to see Lincoln Park become a happening place with cafe's along the side and surrounded by buildings. Think Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.
I would love to see Lincoln Park become a happening place with cafe's along the side and surrounded by buildings. Think Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.
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Patrick
Guest
"The city just told people, 'We are taking your house. Here's the plan,'" Adams said.
If this is how they did it when they originally built the road, and houses were there, why can't they do it the same way in reverse now that the city is the entity that owns the land? Say to itself, ok city, here's the deal, we are going to reposition roads on our own property and sell the additional space. They repave stevens avenue biannually. why can't they just move franklin street without spending tens of millions? I really like those trees in the median. The road is designed all stupid, but those trees could be a real asset if they lined the right sort of street and permitted cross pedestrian traffic. What we have to realize is that none of this development is going to happen right away, if at all. we have to picture franklin redesigned without new buildings, and picture the street how it would look like that, because it will likely stay undeveloped for the foreseeable future. I say merge the lanes together, block kennedy park's ugly face, and build new urbanism style housing and shops (with decks and walk up steps...sorta like combining newbury in Boston with park street in portland. If cacoulidis builds his building where he wants, and marginal way continues to propsper, franklin could be an integral arm to the city's new urban center. If things go well, bayside is the future. I was driving around last night, down park ave, and think they may have put new street lights in, or replaced some, because the street looked wonderful at night. city hall is straight ahead (except that parking garage blocks a portion of it) sorta like in washington DC and the capitol house, and the pond was all lit up. what a bunch of potential that place has, but then it is lined with slum tenements. I think city hall would only look better with a skyscraper next to it.
If this is how they did it when they originally built the road, and houses were there, why can't they do it the same way in reverse now that the city is the entity that owns the land? Say to itself, ok city, here's the deal, we are going to reposition roads on our own property and sell the additional space. They repave stevens avenue biannually. why can't they just move franklin street without spending tens of millions? I really like those trees in the median. The road is designed all stupid, but those trees could be a real asset if they lined the right sort of street and permitted cross pedestrian traffic. What we have to realize is that none of this development is going to happen right away, if at all. we have to picture franklin redesigned without new buildings, and picture the street how it would look like that, because it will likely stay undeveloped for the foreseeable future. I say merge the lanes together, block kennedy park's ugly face, and build new urbanism style housing and shops (with decks and walk up steps...sorta like combining newbury in Boston with park street in portland. If cacoulidis builds his building where he wants, and marginal way continues to propsper, franklin could be an integral arm to the city's new urban center. If things go well, bayside is the future. I was driving around last night, down park ave, and think they may have put new street lights in, or replaced some, because the street looked wonderful at night. city hall is straight ahead (except that parking garage blocks a portion of it) sorta like in washington DC and the capitol house, and the pond was all lit up. what a bunch of potential that place has, but then it is lined with slum tenements. I think city hall would only look better with a skyscraper next to it.
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Patrick
Guest
thanks for posting. I am excited about this project, which should really improve the area, especially if the watermark ever gets built (or something in its place). Speaking of development in this neighborhood, have you all seen the mural on the side of the parking garage recently completed on fore street? I was thinking the city could benefit quite a bit from having things like that on the sides of ALL vacant walls...the side of the Big EZ, for example. Also, there is some news in today's paper about the short term improvements envisioned for the Maine State Pier...which include tearing down part of that ugly shed. What a nice view portland would have if it weren't for the ugly oil tankers.
grittys457
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Wow, I was starting to think that the Bayhouse was just gonna call it a day and not be built. Looks like they are still pushing forward. I was just thinking about the Westin project yesterday, would have been a great project to look at.
I didn't check the other threads but did anybody discuss what was in the paper the other day about possibly building a glass canopy over wharf street to keep the noise down and for year round use? What a great idea that would be.
I didn't check the other threads but did anybody discuss what was in the paper the other day about possibly building a glass canopy over wharf street to keep the noise down and for year round use? What a great idea that would be.
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Patrick
Guest
From today's pessherald
Commercial brokers generally expect the market to remain sluggish until the economy recovers enough for companies to start hiring again. That isn't expected until next year.
But real estate investment is all about the future, and a landmark property that came back on the market this summer with little notice is an example.
The shuttered Jordan's Meats factory at India and Middle streets in Portland is listed for $4.75 million. With great fanfare and some controversy, permits were issued for a Westin Hotel and 75 luxury condominiums there during the last building boom. Now, the property is being sold by The Procaccianti Group, the Rhode Island-based real estate investment firm that bought the 2-acre site for $6 million.
Greg Boulos, who is representing the property for CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Co., said he's hearing from developers who are interested in a project with office and hotel space.
"Whether the market's there now, probably not, but it will be," Boulos said. "It's a great location, and when development starts again, that's a natural."
Commercial brokers generally expect the market to remain sluggish until the economy recovers enough for companies to start hiring again. That isn't expected until next year.
But real estate investment is all about the future, and a landmark property that came back on the market this summer with little notice is an example.
The shuttered Jordan's Meats factory at India and Middle streets in Portland is listed for $4.75 million. With great fanfare and some controversy, permits were issued for a Westin Hotel and 75 luxury condominiums there during the last building boom. Now, the property is being sold by The Procaccianti Group, the Rhode Island-based real estate investment firm that bought the 2-acre site for $6 million.
Greg Boulos, who is representing the property for CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Co., said he's hearing from developers who are interested in a project with office and hotel space.
"Whether the market's there now, probably not, but it will be," Boulos said. "It's a great location, and when development starts again, that's a natural."
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Patrick
Guest
I'd have to see a rendering first (of the canopy) but I think I agree with you. Also, why would the hotel build where it did? because of the attractiveness of the very same venues it is now complaining about. Its like building a beach front hotel and then having guests come to swim during the day only to complain of the dull roar of the waves keeping them up at night.
No 30 story building will go on the Jordan's meats site, but if I'm right I think you were being sarcastic, in which case you already knew that. Although, the more I think about it, the more I would really like to see a 30 story building on the Cacoulidis site. It would look great from so many angles.
No 30 story building will go on the Jordan's meats site, but if I'm right I think you were being sarcastic, in which case you already knew that. Although, the more I think about it, the more I would really like to see a 30 story building on the Cacoulidis site. It would look great from so many angles.
I have mixed feelings about a canopy as well. There are certainly places in other cities where similar systems work quite well at keeping the area beneath lively in inclement weather.
We can all agree that it's silly for the hotel to complain about noise since they built it to be as close to the old port area as possible. I don't know if it was an earlier post here or somewhere else but someone made a point about having slept at hotels directly next to airports and not having issues with hearing planes all night. Maybe the Portland Harbor Hotel should have done more planning in the building's design.
Anyhow, does the construction ever stop at Maine Med?
We can all agree that it's silly for the hotel to complain about noise since they built it to be as close to the old port area as possible. I don't know if it was an earlier post here or somewhere else but someone made a point about having slept at hotels directly next to airports and not having issues with hearing planes all night. Maybe the Portland Harbor Hotel should have done more planning in the building's design.
Anyhow, does the construction ever stop at Maine Med?
This is the new "Crescent Heights" student housing - technically it's not part of Maine Med, although it is being built partly with MMC's money, as one of the conditions for the hospital's expansion. By housing med students here, the thinking goes, the rest of the West End will be less impacted by short-term renters.
http://developerscollaborative.com/projects/in_development/mmc.php
http://developerscollaborative.com/projects/in_development/mmc.php
This is the new "Crescent Heights" student housing - technically it's not part of Maine Med, although it is being built partly with MMC's money, as one of the conditions for the hospital's expansion. By housing med students here, the thinking goes, the rest of the West End will be less impacted by short-term renters.
http://developerscollaborative.com/projects/in_development/mmc.php
http://developerscollaborative.com/projects/in_development/mmc.php