Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

I am no expert, but I have been keeping track of this stuff for a while now, and so I have a lot of information to share if you's like. As for what project excited me the most, I would say the proposal to build a 30-story building on Congress street, but that is just a 'maybe' at this point, and even if it becomes a legitimate proposal it is likely to face fierce opposition.

There are two parcels located in bayside very near to the intermed building which was just built on Marginal way (ten stories) which are going to be developed as soon as the economy permits. there have been some really interesting proposals for the sites, and I think this area needs the most attention right now. Bayside is a large and diverse neighborhood. India street is technically included in it, though most people would consider india street part of the old port or munjoy hill. Kennedy park is also included in the neighborhhod, as is u-haul and other unappealing urban disamenities. The neighborhood should be nice if it continues to develop, and the trail won't hurt that's for sure. The neighborhood also used to be very densely populated much like the rest of the downtown. then urban renewal wiped it clear and we got the parking lots and junk yards that characterize the place today. It would be a good neighborhood to invest in, though not for a nightclub. before bayside was bulldozed the city of portland had a population of nearly 80,000...slum clearance changed this and now we have a population of 64,000. I would also like to see the amtrak line extended into the old port down commercial street and on to Brunswick. Oh, and the civic center is being remodeled (or hopefully rebuilt elsewhere, but doubtful). Pretty much it all interests me, from the large skyscraper that is unlikely to get built to the urban infill that plugs the ugly holes in between buildings. where are you originally from, Todd?
 
I have read alot about John Cacoulidis' plans for the Press Herald building on Congress ST. I think it would be in Portland's best Economic interest to support him on this.
I have been reading about Bayside, and its future is promising, and it sounds like the city planning are trying to connect the Bayside neighborhood with downtown more, and the trails are sure to increase pedestrian activity.
I also think a light rail would be a great idea, as well as your suggestion about bringing the Amtrak to commercial st. The one area where Boston excels at is transportation. In boston we have an awesome public transportation system ( and to be fair, we have a much bigger population). Portland could use more Public Transit options, agreed.
I am from a Lynn, Ma, a city north of boston by twenty minutes. It is a small city in numbers compared to boston, and a small city in culture and activity compared to Portland. I cant wait to finish up grad school and move north to Portland.
What about you....are you originally from the Portland area?
 
Todd said:
I have read alot about John Cacoulidis' plans for the Press Herald building on Congress ST. I think it would be in Portland's best Economic interest to support him on this.
I have been reading about Bayside, and its future is promising, and it sounds like the city planning are trying to connect the Bayside neighborhood with downtown more, and the trails are sure to increase pedestrian activity.
I also think a light rail would be a great idea, as well as your suggestion about bringing the Amtrak to commercial st. The one area where Boston excels at is transportation. In boston we have an awesome public transportation system ( and to be fair, we have a much bigger population). Portland could use more Public Transit options, agreed.
I am from a Lynn, Ma, a city north of boston by twenty minutes. It is a small city in numbers compared to boston, and a small city in culture and activity compared to Portland. I cant wait to finish up grad school and move north to Portland.
What about you....are you originally from the Portland area?
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Cool, what are you in grad school for? I am currently pursuing two graduate degrees myself. One is in law (concentration in land use and environmental resources, real estate, development etc) and the other is in urban planning. I graduate law school this year and urban planning next. Portland is a neat place for highly educated young professionals, but not too much for people to do without a grad degree. Portland is an awesome city, but I think the reason some people dislike it or favor other cities is that its footprint of "awesomeness" is so tiny. once you are out of the old port or congress street, the city turns very suburban, so if you're not downtown, its like you might as well be in any suburb. sort of anyway.

I know a a bit about Lynn, pop of about 80,000 if I'm not mistaken. I always lump it in with Lawrence culturally, size wise, economically, and significance wise. Is that a fair assumption? Im no expert. If I am right I think there was also some sort of a major redevelopment scheme intown Lynn that included some sort of a huge tower (not a building, but like a cell tower or something analogous) that could be seen for miles. Im not sure if I am confusing things.

As for Cacoulidis, I am impressed that you are familiar with the project, as even people around here have forgotten it was ever mentioned. I wrote an editorial in the local newspaper basically agreeing with everything you said above. Glad to know you are interested, what got you so interested in Portland? I'd be glad to discuss any project with you more.

edit - I have lived in Portland with the exception of college since I was 8.
 
I am in grad school at Boston University to get my MSW, Master of Social Work. I have recently been looking at USM and the certificate of urban planning they offer, and have given some thought to applying to that program when am done at BU. DO they have a good program in your opinion?

Your future career sounds like it has bright prospects!

Lynn is alot like Lawrence, so your assumption is fair. The development in Lynn seems to have stalled, partly because the first set of condos for the redevelopment didnt sell, and the money for plan, in my opinion was costly for Lynn, and the public didnt seem to be interested in it, at least not in any way that i could see.

I think that John Cacoulidis could be a great force for Portland, and he has alot to offer, if people could get beyond the animosity that exists towards him. Portland is a world class city, and Cacoulidis could help it finally get the respect it deserves.

I would welcome the oppurtunity to talk with you about the development in Portland, as well as the business scene from a local's point of view.

I randomly took a trip up to Portland, and it captured my attention in a way no other city has....there is a lot of room to grow in Portland, which cant be said about alot of other big cities. I would love to be a part of the develoopment and business that are going to be infusing Portland.


Thanks again !!!
 
Very cool. I also feel that way every now and then about other cities I see. Sometimes you just see a place and instead of noticing its commonalities you see it for what it could be. Portland has a TON of potential. at least in geographic sense, the market is another story.

You should know that there is a big difference between Portland and its surroundings. The surrounding area, with a few exceptions, if very rural. This is good for recreation purposes, but it should be noted that it also includes a certain type of non city person that is rare in larger cities like Boston. There are some very nice suburbs, but the gem of the area, as you know, is Portland. Have you been to Portsmouth, NH? It is very similar, at least to the old port section of town. not a city though. Burlington VT is often compared to Portland as well but having lived in both places I can say they are not much alike (but they make appear to be from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with either).

good luck on your masters. Would you plan to pursue both a nightclub and LCSW position or something? The certificate of urban planning at the Muskie School through USM is not bad.

The school is not accredited due to lack of professors and no other reason. I have been told by professors there who have taught at other schools like Texas A&M that the program at Muskie is as good as any other school (although their perception is undoubtedly skewed since they have an interest in claiming this). I can say that one of the professors established the urban planning school at Rutgers and is a former professor from UVM, if that makes any difference. Another was educated at U. Oregon in the midst of the State's land use revolution. I think I heard that another was a former planner for New Orleans. The school also has a brand new campus. some dislike it but I think it is a vast improvement (it used to share the law school building and is now in a modern glass building down the street. For Maine program would be beneficial for you to take, but I doubt other places would consider it worth much. Many larger cities are more competitive for planning jobs, but if you have a relevant undergrad degree combined with the Muskie ed you might be in business. What sort of club did you want to open again? What music? Jazz might do well here, there are very few spots for it. But the majority of nightlife caters to college aged students and those a bit older. Hence the pubs and bars popularity. You might do well to open a restaurant which offers occasional live music, and if it is successful take it from there. Just an idea. If you want to personally connect, I can be reached at patrick.venne@maine.edu any time you'd like. Since I'm a student, I'm usually online quite a bit. Any way I can help you get acclimated to the city I'd be glad to.
 
Drove by that new housing thing at SMMC...it looks really great even though it is still only plywood and such...liking it so far though.
 
From that article:

Old Port Hospitality's project would be "nothing pie-in-the-sky."

"We want to do something that can get done and will get done," he said.
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These sound like smart, realistic people, I hope they can make it happen.

I would personally love to see them chop the block into several pieces, maybe 3 or 4 since it's a pretty large lot. We need less 'superblock' large-scale development here I think. And if I see another parking garage in the works, I am going to take to the streets in protest!! :p
 
Corey said:
I would personally love to see them chop the block into several pieces, maybe 3 or 4 since it's a pretty large lot. We need less 'superblock' large-scale development here I think. And if I see another parking garage in the works, I am going to take to the streets in protest!! :p
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I agree. It would would also be a shame to ignore the Middle St. side too. That area could REALLY benefit from something a similar scale to the small shops and restaurants like Ribolita and Duckfat right across the street. At the same Time, the Fore Street side REALLY needs help over there. This project has the potential to be the knot that ties the whole area together and scale is key... superblock is BAD here.
 
Lrfox said:
I agree. It would would also be a shame to ignore the Middle St. side too. That area could REALLY benefit from something a similar scale to the small shops and restaurants like Ribolita and Duckfat right across the street. At the same Time, the Fore Street side REALLY needs help over there. This project has the potential to be the knot that ties the whole area together and scale is key... superblock is BAD here.
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Great discussion, both of you, really. This is the type of stuff that fascinates me. While I am drawn to large scale projects and architecture, and really enjoy huge buildings and skylines, I have to agree that it is difficult (to say the least) to balance such a desire with a workable pedestrian oriented streetscape, which is indispensable for the types of areas that people actually want to BE IN. this whole idea of 'sense of place' as an attraction. I think a super block project could work if it had something allowing the inside of whatever structure goes there to be traversed (like some of the larger office buildings do. That way lobbies effectively become enclosed public sidewalks in a de facto sense. Think the riverwalk development and how it was huge but at the same time was punctuated by a walkable middle portion connecting to the water. I think that would be key. Also, Lrfox I agree with your assessments and priorities rankings of middle and fore streets. Middle street is great on one side and crumbling on the other. This must be taken into account in whatever gets built here because a large blank wall will do nothing for the neighborhood. yet at the same time you're right that fore street is even worse. Hopefully both are paid attention to.
 
The design for VMB should be in Friday's pressherald. I have to work this day.



For Immediate Release on February 2, 2010
For More Information:
Mark Latti, MaineDOT Public Information Officer - 624-3030, 592-1339 (cell)

MaineDOT Media Alert
Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project
What: Informational News Conference Regarding the Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project.
When: 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 4, 2010.
Where: Mercy Hospital Fore River, Fore River Parkway, Portland, Maine. Press conference is located in the main lobby overlooking the Fore River and the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Who: MaineDOT Commissioner David Cole
Jackson Parker, CEO, Reed & Reed, Inc.
Portland City Officials
South Portland City Officials
Focus: Please join the Commissioner Cole of the Maine Department of Transportation, Jackson Parker, CEO of Reed & Reed, and officials from the cities of Portland and South Portland for an informational press conference concerning the Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project.
Reed & Reed of Woolwich is the contractor for this $60 million project, which is scheduled to begin later this spring. The press conference will unveil the new design of the bridge, detail the upcoming construction schedule, and describe current and future traffic patterns to the public.
The media is encouraged to attend the press conference and help spread the word concerning the state?s largest construction project, and the new gateway bridge to Maine?s largest metropolitan area, Portland and South Portland.
###
 
Extended train service seen as lure for tourists
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A rail link to Freeport and Brunswick, set to be completed in 2012, will lure more out-of-staters, officials say.
By TOM BELL, Staff Writer February 3, 2010

PORTLAND ? Amtrak's Downeaster has never lived up to supporters' expectations that it would be a tourist magnet. For the vast majority of its passengers, the train is a way to get to Boston, not Maine.

Just wait two years, supporters say.

In 2012, when the service is extended to Freeport and Brunswick, more residents of Massachusetts and New Hampshire will ride the train north, said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.

Quinn says Freeport will be the draw. About 3.5 million people a year visit Freeport, making it Maine's top tourist destination.

The Freeport and Brunswick train stations will be in walkable downtowns, Quinn said, ideally situated for tourists who want to leave their cars at home.

In contrast, visitors who arrive at Portland's station on Sewall Street must ride cabs or Metro buses to get downtown. Quinn said the location has made it difficult to market Portland as a tourist destination for train riders.

The Obama administration announced last week that it will award the rail authority $35 million in federal stimulus funds to extend Downeaster service north to Brunswick. The extension is part of an $8 billion plan to develop a nationwide system of high-speed intercity passenger rail.

The $35 million is enough to complete the extension, including laying welded rail and improving grade crossings along the 30-mile route between Portland and Brunswick.

When the line is complete in 2012, tourists will be able to switch in Brunswick from the Downeaster to a train that's now operated by the Maine Eastern Railroad to Bath, Wiscasset and Rockland.

Connecting Amtrak with the Maine Eastern Railroad will create a marketing opportunity for the midcoast, said state Rep. Edward Mazurek, D-Rockland, who chairs the rail caucus in the Legislature.

"Now we have another tool to get people in, not simply by car," he said.

One obstacle is the schedule. Two daily round trips are planned between Boston and Brunswick. The last southbound train would leave Freeport around 1:30 p.m, too early for day trippers from Boston.

Quinn said a bus service could be provided to take people from Freeport to Portland so they could catch an 8 p.m. train to Boston.

A rail authority analysis of current ridership shows that 84 percent of the Downeaster's passengers use the train to get to Boston and back.

The authority projects that the number of riders, now about 1,300 a day, will increase by 10 percent when the extension to Brunswick is complete, with tourists making up most of the increase. The projection does not include ridership between Portland and Freeport and Brunswick.

Ticket sales and food purchases fund about half of the Downeaster's $15 million annual operating budget. State and federal dollars pay for the rest, with the federal government paying 80 percent of the subsidy.

The state subsidy, about $1.5 million a year, comes from a portion of the tax on rental cars.

Because Amtrak will serve Freeport and Brunswick with the same train equipment it's using now for the Downeaster, the operating costs will increase only modestly, Quinn said.

The service to Brunswick will add $1.25 million in operating costs, while ticket and food sales will generate about $1 million, she said. The remaining $250,000 will be shared by the federal and state governments, with the federal government picking up 80 percent.

When trains are running to Brunswick, she said, the subsidy per passenger is expected to decline from $17.38 for every trip to about $15.

"What the expansion does," she said, "is maximize the use of our equipment and our labor pool and makes the service more efficient."
 
New Veteran's Bridge

There are some renderings at the Press Herald. Says it's not the final design but it looks nifty...

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=313176&ac=PHnws

What excites me more than the design is the wide sidewalks. I would love for Tukey's bridge to have much larger sidewalks like this.

Anyone else have some ideas they could bring to the upcoming meetings? I'm not sure what more I could want than it already promises.
 
I have been thinking about something lately that I want some input on. The town we went to college in was always packed at night, at least as much as portland, and it is like 2/3 the size, and it was always lively during the days too. I think this was mostly because of the students because the people walking around were very diverse and not "local" looking, somewhat like the old port seems in the summer, only year round. I think for this reason the University of southern maine should expand housing for dorms (with free shuttles for students) downtown. Then, when the kids aren't in school, they can be downtown. This would add a lot of pedestrian traffic downtown. the major barrier other than shuttles (a lot of colleges use them, including usm between portland and gorham, and i get charged a 100 bucks a year for something i dont use when i still have to walk or bike downtown when the car isn't working) is the disconnect created by the interstate, wihch should have ped bridges over it. bayside is pretty much a junk buffer too.
 
I would also like to see more development downtown by USM. Gorham is a nice little town but it probably would have been better to make the Portland campus the main branch long ago. I can see why Gorham is the hub though, because they have room on campus for housing and other facilities and still have more room to expand.

I am also charged the transportation and parking fees despite never using the shuttle and not owning a car. I do use my USM card to get a 50 cent fare on the Metro bus to and from work at Unum every day though.

I have posted several times on walkaroundportland about the barrier that I-295 creates, especially the exit 6 interchange. It hurts USM and it hurts Deering Oaks and the surrounding neighborhoods. Pedestrian bridges are a short-term solution, but I think would be helpful to build a couple of them. I personally walk home through Deering Oaks after classes that get out at 9:30pm and acknowledge that a path connecting USM to Parkside (we can discuss Parkside in another thread! :p) might not be appealing to college aged females.


bridgeorsomething.jpg



Where the Portland campus is now, is clearly better aligned to the neighborhood surrounding it and not the peninsula, so maybe they should focus on better connections off-peninsula.
 
Im not sure what you mean by a short term solution? It seems like if there were ped bridges the traffic would become a nonissue, especially if bayside continues to absorb any of the school related construction (there were some plans to put the law school in that neighborhood). I think Oakdale should return to a family oriented neighborhood. It really has a lot of potential. I hear about NEW urbanism all the time, and then when I walk home, up deering ave and the surrounding streets, I walk by entire streets that are designed in new urbanist fashion. Only they are centuries old. Treelined streets, sidewlaks, front and wrap around porches, compact sites, etc, the only thing truly unavailable is neighborhood stores. Deering center has that though, and would be nice to build up a bit.
 
In fact, there was a nice post recently by Christian Milneil on one of his blogs about how developing that large parking area abutting longfellow elementary would be a fiscally wise move as well. I would like to see that site turned into some mixed use, say, apartments, storefronts, etc.
 
Cloverleafs are bad for pedestrians. Perhaps the state could convert it to a simple narrow diamond interchange, and recover some developable land as well?
 
Yes they are ron. There is so much land around here to develop, though, that the only impetus for such a reconfiguration that would gain substantial special interest group backing and probably financin (freeing up land for development, as you mentioned) is lacking here.
 
Patrick said:
Im not sure what you mean by a short term solution?
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That was just my cynicism concerning our auto-dependent culture and how I don't think we should build our lives (or our pedestrian walkways) based on the preferences of automobiles. I'll try to tone it down :p

I also concur that a non-cloverleaf interchange would be better for pedestrian AND automobile traffic. This interchange is where the 'gateway to the peninsula' should be. Great spot for urban development.
 
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