Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

[PortlandArch]

The rendering from the article


Looks extremely similar to Luminato, and that's not a bad thing. I like the design. The two buildings combined definitely help Franklin St. feel more urban.

I think the rendering is misleading in regards to how Franklin Street will look on completion of the second building (also, the two projects look very similar to me, almost indistinguishable to the average passerby I would imagine). If you look at the other image, of the blank site (shown in the article), you can see it's from the same angle (or pretty close) as the rendering, yet Luminato is pulled way back from the street. I think the artist pulled it forward to make it look more like a traditional urban street, but I could be just looking at it wrong. Either way this is good news for this section of the City.

 

[Cosakita18]

It just struck me how much is going on in Portland right now, and how much is coming up in the next 6 monts.

Currently under construction

- Wex Headquarters
- Union Wharf office building
- 20 Thames: 28 Condos
- 220 Washington Ave : 45 Condos
- 62 India St. 30(?) Condos
- Thompsons Point Children's Museum
- Brown St. Parking Garage
- C-Port Credit Union Building

Approved and awating groundbreaking:

- 58 Boyd Street: 55 Apartments
- 75 Chesnut St: 52 Apartments
- 393 Commercial St: 139 Hotel rooms and 211 Condos
- 510 Cumberland Ave: 80 Apartments
- Midtown Parking Garage / Phase 1 ( Federated has finally applied for construction permits)
- 58 Fore St. Phase 1: Office / retail space
- Maine Medical Center Phase 1 expansion

Currently in the Planning Process

- 203 Fore St: 128 Hotel Rooms
- Thompsons Point Hotel: 148 Hotel Rooms
- Verdante at Lincoln Park: 31 Condos
- 60 Parris St: 25 Condos
- Americold warehouse
- Amethyst Lot / Portland Landing waterfront park.
- Maine Medical Center St. John St. parking garage.

Waiting in the Wings

- 184 Commercial St : 93 Hotel rooms and an unknown number of Condos
- 170 Fore St Office Building
- Thompsons Point Residential and Office space.
- Tim Soley's 15-20 story building near Canal Plaza
- 58 Fore St Condo's and WestElm hotel.
- Cumberland Ave. Condos
- Vets First Choice corporate headquarters
- Mercy Hospital Fore River Parkway campus expansion
- Portland Transportation Center expansion


Let me know if I've missed anything

Really, our building boom is pretty remarkable. What other city in New England outside of Boston is seeing this kind of development?

 

[portlandneedsnewarena]

It just struck me how much is going on in Portland right now, and how much is coming up in the next 6 monts.

Currently under construction

- Wex Headquarters
- Union Wharf office building
- 20 Thames: 28 Condos
- 220 Washington Ave : 45 Condos
- 62 India St. 30(?) Condos
- Thompsons Point Children's Museum
- Brown St. Parking Garage
- C-Port Credit Union Building

Approved and awating groundbreaking are:

- 58 Boyd Street: 55 Apartments
- 75 Chesnut St: 52 Apartments
- 393 Commercial St: 139 Hotel rooms and 211 Condos
- 510 Cumberland Ave: 80 Apartments
- Midtown Parking Garage / Phase 1 ( Federated has finally applied for construction permits)
- 58 Fore St. Phase 1: Office / retail space.

Currently in the Planning Process

- 203 Fore St: 128 Hotel Rooms
- Thompsons Point Hotel: 148 Hotel Rooms
- Verdante at Lincoln Park: 31 Condos
- 60 Parris St: 25 Condos
- Americold warehouse

Waiting in the Wings

- 184 Commercial St : 93 Hotel rooms and an unknown number of Condos
- 170 Fore St Office Building
- Tim Soley's 20+ story building near Canal Plaza
- 58 Fore St Condo's and WestElm hotel.
- Cumberland Ave. Condos
- Vets First Choice corporate headquarters


Let me know if I've missed anything

Really, our building boom is pretty remarkable. What city in New England outside of Boston is seeing this kind of development?

Maine Medical Center addition Phase 1 which is quite substantial. Bids from Subcontractors are due to Turner Construction on 02/28, so I believe construction of that phase will start within the next 6 months.

 

[Cosakita18]

Maine Medical Center addition Phase 1 which is quite substantial. Bids from Subcontractors are due to Turner Construction on 02/28, so I believe construction of that phase will start within the next 6 months.

How could I overlook that! Thanks, I updated the list!

 

[DZH22]

Are any of the projects in the first 3 categories over 6 stories? I am pretty disgusted by the amount of 5 over 1's I have been seeing popping up around the Boston metro. I want to see sturdier structures, and 7+ stories seems to be that magic number.

My gf, who is from Maine, thinks Portland should build its own "high spine" along Congress Street, since it's at the top of the hill and won't be blocking any views anyway. It would be pretty neat to see some non-background buildings get built in Portland's current (or future) boom.

 

[Cosakita18]

Are any of the projects in the first 3 categories over 6 stories? I am pretty disgusted by the amount of 5 over 1's I have been seeing popping up around the Boston metro. I want to see sturdier structures, and 7+ stories seems to be that magic number.
.

Asside from the two parking garages (Midtown and MaineMed) nonthing currently in the works is over 6 stories. The last 6+ story building to go up was 665 Congress St. which was completed in early 2017.

The only planned 6+ story buildings right now are the future phases of the 58 Fore St. redevelopment, which are at least 5 years away, if they even get built at all.

There are a few "waiting in the wings" proposals for 10 + story projects but right now nothing concrete has come up (Cumberland Ave condo tower and Tim Soley's Canal Plaza tower)

 

[Portlander]

Nice job putting all that together Cosakita! Only comments are that the rumored Cumberland Avenue tower is supposed to be apartments similar to Back Bay Tower. And the proposed office building at 170 Fore Street located behind 20 Thames Street is actually going to be 7 floors. Also, don't forget the new "glass" office addition to the Gateway Garage which is currently under construction.

My last conversation with Mr Soley left me feeling that less than 20 floors is closer to reality if anything gets built. His main issue would be zoning which I think is limited to 135' in that footprint which might allow 12 floors max if it's hospitality related. Office use would require greater floor heights and would end up being similar to One Canal Plaza at 10 floors which I'd still take!

 

[Dr. StrangeHat]

Are any of the projects in the first 3 categories over 6 stories?

No, our local kill-joy NIMBY organization Keep Portland Livable thinks that buildings over 6 stories eat people, so we can't have nice things now.

 

[Seanflynn78]

No, our local kill-joy NIMBY organization Keep Portland Livable thinks that buildings over 6 stories eat people, so we can't have nice things now.

Yes, these wimps are to blame for rents being so high in Portland. I hope they scrap the 6 story apartments part of the midtown project and come back with 14 story towers that are not some brick looking fortress. This would help calm the rental demand. But the antidevelopment folks would lose their minds.
I am so happy to see Portland flourishing as its one of the most beautiful cities on the east coast nevermind New England.

 

[markhb]

Not downtown but on the Portland side of the line, the new Hampton Inn is going up on the site of the old Susse Chalet / TraveLodge.

There's also the office wrapper on the Ocean Gateway garage, and is anything happening with the final spot on the Grand Trunk station site, behind 20 Thames?

 

[Cosakita18]

My last conversation with Mr Soley left me feeling that less than 20 floors is closer to reality if anything gets built. His main issue would be zoning which I think is limited to 135' in that footprint which might allow 12 floors max if it's hospitality related. Office use would require greater floor heights and would end up being similar to One Canal Plaza at 10 floors which I'd still take!

Tell us more about this conversation

If anything would kill this project, it's the huge influx of hotel rooms going in elsewhere. With everything under construction and in the pipeline, I can't imagine Portland has much demand left for hotel space on the peninsula. I could see a mix of office, condo and event space. I bet a penthouse overlooking the old port and the harbor would sell for a pretty penny.

and is anything happening with the final spot on the Grand Trunk station site, behind 20 Thames?

There are renderings and leasing info posted on various sites for the 7 story office building at 170 Fore St. but nothing has gone to the planning board yet.

 

[Max]

Great work on the list! I'm half tempted to create a new topic for each Portland development the way they do on the Boston forum. A step too far?

Anyway a few edits / additions to your list:

Currently under construction

- Wex Headquarters
- Union Wharf office building
- 20 Thames: 28 Condos
- 220 Washington Ave : 45 Condos
- 62 India St. 30(?) Condos
- Thompsons Point Children's Museum
- Brown St. Parking Garage
- C-Port Credit Union Building

I think the office building is actually on Widgery Wharf, though it's being managed by the "Proprietors of Union Wharf."

Have 220 Washington Avenue and the Brown Street Parking Garage actually begun construction? I haven't seen any activity at these sites. Not sure about the Children's Museum either, I haven't been down to Thompson's Point recently.

Approved and awating groundbreaking:

- 58 Boyd Street: 55 Apartments
- 75 Chesnut St: 52 Apartments
- 393 Commercial St: 139 Hotel rooms and 211 Condos
- 510 Cumberland Ave: 80 Apartments
- Midtown Parking Garage / Phase 1 ( Federated has finally applied for construction permits)
- 58 Fore St. Phase 1: Office / retail space
- Maine Medical Center Phase 1 expansion

I think you could add:

122 Congress Street (Hay Runner Block), which was approved and supposed to start construction in 2017, but appears to be faltering, which is too bad as I really like the corner design of this one. http://www.hayrunnerblock.com/

180 Washington Ave., a 4-story condo building that was approved but has not shown any recent activity: http://www.180washingtonportlandmaine.com/

Currently in the Planning Process

- 203 Fore St: 128 Hotel Rooms
- Thompsons Point Hotel: 148 Hotel Rooms
- Verdante at Lincoln Park: 31 Condos
- 60 Parris St: 25 Condos
- Americold warehouse
- Amethyst Lot / Portland Landing waterfront park.
- Maine Medical Center St. John St. parking garage.

You could probably add 155 Washington Ave., a proposed 4-story retail / office development: http://munjoyhillnews.net/new-construction-planned-155-washington-avenue-workinprogress/

Waiting in the Wings

- 184 Commercial St : 93 Hotel rooms and an unknown number of Condos
- 170 Fore St Office Building
- Thompsons Point Residential and Office space.
- Tim Soley's 15-20 story building near Canal Plaza
- 58 Fore St Condo's and WestElm hotel.
- Cumberland Ave. Condos
- Vets First Choice corporate headquarters
- Mercy Hospital Fore River Parkway campus expansion
- Portland Transportation Center expansion

In the realm of pure hearsay you could add the Portland Square parking lots, which have been hinted at on here for major development for some time.

Really, our building boom is pretty remarkable.

Agreed!

 

[PortlandArch]

It just struck me how much is going on in Portland right now, and how much is coming up in the next 6 monts.

Currently under construction

- Wex Headquarters
- Union Wharf office building
- 20 Thames: 28 Condos
- 220 Washington Ave : 45 Condos
- 62 India St. 30(?) Condos
- Thompsons Point Children's Museum
- Brown St. Parking Garage
- C-Port Credit Union Building

Approved and awating groundbreaking:

- 58 Boyd Street: 55 Apartments
- 75 Chesnut St: 52 Apartments
- 393 Commercial St: 139 Hotel rooms and 211 Condos
- 510 Cumberland Ave: 80 Apartments
- Midtown Parking Garage / Phase 1 ( Federated has finally applied for construction permits)
- 58 Fore St. Phase 1: Office / retail space
- Maine Medical Center Phase 1 expansion

Currently in the Planning Process

- 203 Fore St: 128 Hotel Rooms
- Thompsons Point Hotel: 148 Hotel Rooms
- Verdante at Lincoln Park: 31 Condos
- 60 Parris St: 25 Condos
- Americold warehouse
- Amethyst Lot / Portland Landing waterfront park.
- Maine Medical Center St. John St. parking garage.

Waiting in the Wings

- 184 Commercial St : 93 Hotel rooms and an unknown number of Condos
- 170 Fore St Office Building
- Thompsons Point Residential and Office space.
- Tim Soley's 15-20 story building near Canal Plaza
- 58 Fore St Condo's and WestElm hotel.
- Cumberland Ave. Condos
- Vets First Choice corporate headquarters
- Mercy Hospital Fore River Parkway campus expansion
- Portland Transportation Center expansion


Let me know if I've missed anything

Really, our building boom is pretty remarkable. What other city in New England outside of Boston is seeing this kind of development?

I did something similar back in 2005, and determined there were something like 110 stories of construction planned. Two years later, almost all of them were scrapped. Hopefully we're not going to a recession of that magnitude again.

 

[PortlandArch]

It just struck me how much is going on in Portland right now, and how much is coming up in the next 6 monts.

Currently under construction

- Wex Headquarters
- Union Wharf office building
- 20 Thames: 28 Condos
- 220 Washington Ave : 45 Condos
- 62 India St. 30(?) Condos
- Thompsons Point Children's Museum
- Brown St. Parking Garage
- C-Port Credit Union Building

Approved and awating groundbreaking:

- 58 Boyd Street: 55 Apartments
- 75 Chesnut St: 52 Apartments
- 393 Commercial St: 139 Hotel rooms and 211 Condos
- 510 Cumberland Ave: 80 Apartments
- Midtown Parking Garage / Phase 1 ( Federated has finally applied for construction permits)
- 58 Fore St. Phase 1: Office / retail space
- Maine Medical Center Phase 1 expansion

Currently in the Planning Process

- 203 Fore St: 128 Hotel Rooms
- Thompsons Point Hotel: 148 Hotel Rooms
- Verdante at Lincoln Park: 31 Condos
- 60 Parris St: 25 Condos
- Americold warehouse
- Amethyst Lot / Portland Landing waterfront park.
- Maine Medical Center St. John St. parking garage.

Waiting in the Wings

- 184 Commercial St : 93 Hotel rooms and an unknown number of Condos
- 170 Fore St Office Building
- Thompsons Point Residential and Office space.
- Tim Soley's 15-20 story building near Canal Plaza
- 58 Fore St Condo's and WestElm hotel.
- Cumberland Ave. Condos
- Vets First Choice corporate headquarters
- Mercy Hospital Fore River Parkway campus expansion
- Portland Transportation Center expansion


Let me know if I've missed anything

Really, our building boom is pretty remarkable. What other city in New England outside of Boston is seeing this kind of development?

Also - Portsmouth has seen a pound for pound expansion that is similar in scope; and Burlington, Vermont of all places is currently seeing the construction of hundreds of new apartments, thousands of square feet of retail, and office space on their main pedestrian mall in several high-rise buildings (google: Burlington Town Center development).

 

[PortlandArch]

Are any of the projects in the first 3 categories over 6 stories? I am pretty disgusted by the amount of 5 over 1's I have been seeing popping up around the Boston metro. I want to see sturdier structures, and 7+ stories seems to be that magic number.

My gf, who is from Maine, thinks Portland should build its own "high spine" along Congress Street, since it's at the top of the hill and won't be blocking any views anyway. It would be pretty neat to see some non-background buildings get built in Portland's current (or future) boom.

The reason for the 6-story proliferation has to do with construction methods. At 6 stories you can pretty easily build a stick built (wood frame) structure and increase your return on investment as compared to a 7-story structure which would typically get into the structural loads requiring a steel frame. Steel is more expensive so if you're going to use it the costs are typically only justified at a much higher configuration (10 stories for example). So if the choice is between 6 and say 7 or 8, you'll see most people go right to 6 stories and stop. Historically, that's why many older cities are all that height as well, because they predate steel (and the elevator).

 

[Cosakita18]

Burlington, Vermont of all places is currently seeing the construction of hundreds of new apartments, thousands of square feet of retail, and office space on their main pedestrian mall in several high-rise buildings (google: Burlington Town Center development).

It's only a matter of time until we get another 10+ story proposal. The peninsula is quickly running out of easilly buildable empty space. Vacancy rates remain low and land values keep climbing. The owners of some of the big parking lots (Portland Squre and top of the Old Port) know that they're sitting on gold, and they'll wait until the market is white hot before they sell to a developer.

But as you said, by the time that happens we might be heading right into another 2007 style crash.

 

[markhb]

Are any of the projects in the first 3 categories over 6 stories? I am pretty disgusted by the amount of 5 over 1's I have been seeing popping up around the Boston metro. I want to see sturdier structures, and 7+ stories seems to be that magic number.

My gf, who is from Maine, thinks Portland should build its own "high spine" along Congress Street, since it's at the top of the hill and won't be blocking any views anyway. It would be pretty neat to see some non-background buildings get built in Portland's current (or future) boom.

I'm not an architect or builder, but IIRC there's actually an overlay zone along the spine that was originally intended to allow for greater height (taller than the current norm... 200+' I think) with appropriate setbacks from Congress. I am not sure that would work at all with the historic district they put in there, though.

Great work on the list! I'm half tempted to create a new topic for each Portland development the way they do on the Boston forum. A step too far?

I think every time we do that, nothing gets built. Witness: Midtown, Thompson's Point (which still has yet to actually build anything taller than grass). I waited until there was construction equipment and activity on the property to start a thread for the Westbrook development.

 

[Corey]

Thanks for putting that list together, Cosakita! Pretty impressive when you look at it all at once.

The new skyline of Thames Street:

Waterfront views from the infill on Widgery Wharf:

 

[Cosakita18]

Great pictures Corey. 20 Thames Street he's is really a lot larger than some of the renderings made it appear

 

[BeeLine]

A little visit to your fair city today. Loving it.

https://flic.kr/p/23AfamZ

https://flic.kr/p/23Af9Vt

https://flic.kr/p/23Af8RK

https://flic.kr/p/FifzDi

https://flic.kr/p/24XiZ5v