Portland, ME - New Construction Continued

Parking will be absorbed along the neighboring streets and a sold out event might bring a total of 200 vehicles which is manageable. If the residents complain too much the city can enforce two hour time limits on the surrounding streets similar to what they used to do around the Hadlock Field neighborhood during Sea Dog games. The City Council would have to approve enforcement, Parking Division overtime and install signage throughout the impact area which is not a simple process. In addition, most of the residents in the area would already be home from work and have the opportunity to secure an on street parking space due to the later evening start times for the performances.
 
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Is this the St. Lawrence Arts Center?

I do miss the old church building, but I understand they had no money to save it.
 
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The earlier planning approval was contingent on the SLAC funding increased METRO service as well (to run every 15 minutes, IIRC), and include a bus pass in the price of tickets, to encourage patrons to leave their cars at home or park in one of the empty downtown garages and ride the bus up the hill.
 
I'd guess the same way they do for Lyric Theater, Portland Players in South Portland. People just have to park in the neighborhoods
 
With the Portland Dennys closed. I suspect someone made an offer for the big tract of land it sits on. Residential Complex? The city was looking for a new police station?
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As soon as I read that Denny's closed, my first thought was "prime real estate...someone must have offered them a small fortune for that land"

It'll probably be another hotel.
 
There's a part of me that winces when I see land like this sell... it needs to be residential, but, given the GND/IZ ordinance change, it most likely wouldn't be 10+ units. I hope they do nothing with the land until the ordinance can be changed.
 
Does anyone else think this may be a little too close to the interstate for residential purposes?
 
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Portlander said:
Does anyone else think this may be a little too close to the interstate for residential purposes?
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Too close to the highway and too small of a parcel for anything significant. Compare this to the LaQuinta inn on Marston St. This site would barely be big enough for a 4-story chain hotel or a <50 unit housing project
Realistically though, the existing structure will remain for the time being and be repurposed for another restaurant, retail or maybe Class-C office space.

The Deny's likely closed due to mediocre sales and continued labor shortages in the food service sector.

Portland isn't Boston...not every on-peninsula property is being sought-after for redevelopment.
 
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That Denny's had the weird property (post-Covid) of not being open 24 hours, which to me is one of the prime reasons one would go to Denny's. That, and the all-day breakfast if that's what strikes your mood for dinner.

Alas, the site is probably too small for a Sonic.
 
I actually like PWMFlyer's idea of a new Police Headquarters. Great location with improved access (including interstate) to other parts of the city, close to the transportation center, Maine Med, Mercy and it's a quick jaunt over to the Cumberland County Jail for inmate transfers.
 
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Cosakita18 said:
Too close to the highway and too small of a parcel for anything significant. Compare this to the LaQuinta inn on Marston St. This site would barely be big enough for a 4-story chain hotel or a <50 unit housing project
Realistically though, the existing structure will remain for the time being and be repurposed for another restaurant, retail or maybe Class-C office space.

The Deny's likely closed due to mediocre sales and continued labor shortages in the food service sector.

Portland isn't Boston...not every on-peninsula property is being sought-after for redevelopment.
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Since it must be zoned Commercial and has excellent visibility from the Interstate, it feels like an office building with vanity signage is most likely, but given its proximity to the former (and potentially future) Union Station/Amtrak Portland station, as well as it’s proximity to the hospitals, it could be a good candidate for (another) hotel or a medical-office building, with full-block floor plates over parking. Maybe even mixed use with some of the above, plus some apartments for visiting nurses.
 
According to the Press Herald the building has been sold and Dennys was renting. It was forced to leave. Another use....Preble Street Resources as a homeless feeding spot.
 
I was comparing to Lynnfield MA to see if there's enough room for a Sonic.
 
With it's proximity to the transportation center, interstate, Hadlock Field, Expo, and Thompson's Point, as well as relative proximity to the airport, I would be very surprised if that Denny's lot ends up as anything other than a hotel.
 
Has anyone heard anything about this coming to the Planning Board? They are looking at a distribution/warehouse facility 10,000+ zone change that sits on 50 plus acres on Stroudwater Street. The only people that are going to gripe are the residents on the other side of the bridge. I knew at one time, there was plans for a bypass from stroudwater to the turnpike and to Gorham when the s turns were still in place. Amazon? Fedex? UPS?
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Isn't that actually Westbrook? It's been a while since I drove that way but ISTR that the line, as in the Exit 48 area, hugs very close to the Turnpike.
 
Hasn't that plot been for sale for a long time? I assumed it was too marshy to do anything easily and that was keeping people away.
 
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