Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

GIL said:
Covering part of Spring Street would further ruin the street for residents of Portland in the service of transient visitors attending conventions. The only footprint on the peninsula that could accommodate a CC is Top of the Port, where most people want to see towers, not wide, blank walls and loading docks where 18-wheelers are lined up before and after every event.

Rock Row site, paired with a high-frequency rail connection to the core would serve the “need” (if there IS a need).
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18 Wheelers (3) are already lined up at CIA docks during events. Freight access could be through this portal. Pedestrian access on Spring Street would not be interrupted. There is no ruining an experience which is nothing but one of walking past nothing of interest. This idea is ideal because it attaches to the current arena using that convention space, and the Holiday Inn with its interior convention space. A true convention space has attachment to a large hotel (240 recently renovated rooms). Top of the Port would result in a massive unsightly box with no current assets to attach to.
 
So did they tear down the small building that was there (and which looked recently renovated on GSV)? I can't imagine this would be an overly attractive spot, despite the view, given the speed of traffic coming off the bridge.
 
Yes, the former "Jade Integrated Health" building has been torn down. The falling-over green shed with the yellow doors is still there, though.

I'm hoping that having a more urban streetwall will help encourage drivers to slow down more as they're coming off 295. To be honest, I feel like drivers have been getting safer/slower on Washington with all the foot traffic and new businesses that have been attracted to the street in recent years; the new traffic light at Fox and Washington might be helping, too, by adding more congestion on this stretch.

The bigger issue on this site, IMHO, is the constant traffic noise and pollution from I-295, which is upwind and very close. The balconies at 218 Washington are gonna have great views but they'll also collect a lot of black soot from exhaust pipes and heavy metals from tires and brake linings.

The LA Times has been going great reporting on the health risks of living this close to a major highway:
www.latimes.com

L.A. keeps building near freeways, even though living there makes people sick

Search your address: Are you one of the 2.5 million Southern Californians already living in the pollution zone?
www.latimes.com www.latimes.com
 
MECA Announced plans to convert the former office building at 45 Forest Ave. into a 180 student dorm. Looks like Redfern Is leading the project.

www.pressherald.com

Maine College of Art plans dormitory for 180 students in downtown Portland

But the developer and the college are concerned about the city's plan to move its social services and public health programming to an office building next door.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com
 
Cosakita18 said:
MECA Announced plans to convert the former office building at 45 Forest Ave. into a 180 student dorm. Looks like Redfern Is leading the project.

www.pressherald.com

Maine College of Art plans dormitory for 180 students in downtown Portland

But the developer and the college are concerned about the city's plan to move its social services and public health programming to an office building next door.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com
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Yeah but some drama over the city's plan to relocate social services and public health programming to the building next door.
 
So, what buildings is Consolidated Communications actually using? I know they pulled out of most of the Davis Farm Road complex (or Fairpoint did that first), they closed the bunker between Oak and Brown Sts. (it's a MECA gallery I think) and now they're out of this one (except, I assume, the microwave tower on the roof). The CO must be in the big building on the corner of Cumberland Ave., but where are the operators, etc.?
 
TC_zoid said:
This story is good news but also somewhat unsettling at the same time. Looks like we will need more hotels, more everything. The nation is coming to Maine this summer.
https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/if...e-an-indication-maine-will-have-a-busy-summer
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Search trends don’t usually correlate accurately to the real world, so I wouldn’t put too much faith in the accuracy of this article, But it is certainly interesting And it adds to the evidence that Maine will likely have A very busy summer season equal to or busier than summer of 2019.

I will also say that there is absolutely such a thing as too much tourism. There comes a point where the volume of visitors starts to have serious impact on the quality of life and Overall economic diversity of a city or region. Look at Venice or Barcelona. Those are cities that have been more or less hollowed out by mass tourism. I would argue that Portland and southern Maine may be approaching the point where the volume of visitors is damaging and unsustainable (Relative to our permanent population, of course)
 
Apparently it's been a while since I drove along Clarks Pond Parkway. These are much further along than I anticipated.

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Some interesting pieces in the agenda for the next EDC meeting: a proposal by Visit Portland for a new "Tourism Improvement District," which would be funded through a hotel room assessment (not a tax! :ROFLMAO: ); renderings of two potential sites for a soccer stadium (I prefer the Fitzpatrick location); and a suggestion that the city seek RFP's for its remaining lot on Thames Street.
 
Corey said:
218 Washington Work

218 Washington Avenue Under Construction by Corey Templeton, on Flickr
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Is that a proper foundation for a building at the edge of a down slope? I would think deep pilings would be necessary. This looks like concrete Lego bricks are being laid on top of rebar, then a concrete pour. Never seen anything like this. Looks like something being built in a third world country.
 
TC_zoid said:
Is that a proper foundation for a building at the edge of a down slope? I would think deep pilings would be necessary. This looks like concrete Lego bricks are being laid on top of rebar, then a concrete pour. Never seen anything like this. Looks like something being built in a third world country.
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I was actually surprised driving down Anderson one day, it seemed like it just appeared really quick. Or was it always there? I've been up to Goodfire before, but my memory of that slope was it was an overgrown mess. Then again I wasn't really looking at it.
 
TC_zoid said:
Is that a proper foundation for a building at the edge of a down slope? I would think deep pilings would be necessary. This looks like concrete Lego bricks are being laid on top of rebar, then a concrete pour. Never seen anything like this. Looks like something being built in a third world country.
Click to expand...
Might just be the retaining wall?
 
nomc said:
I was actually surprised driving down Anderson one day, it seemed like it just appeared really quick. Or was it always there? I've been up to Goodfire before, but my memory of that slope was it was an overgrown mess. Then again I wasn't really looking at it.
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Maine Medical Center has been working on its slope wall for at least a year (for the new building).
 
Yes it is. That way, it's easier to keep the undesirable types away.
 
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