P
Patrick
Guest
Just happened to be out and about today and took some pictures of Portland's cluster of taller buildings
However, I think I can think of two public spaces that rival monument square, those being Tommy's park in the Old Port, and Church Street in Burlington, VT. I like monument square the best aesthetically, but those other places are a bit more lively. I think monument square would have been the best in its heyday, but today the place is still rebounding. Surely one of the best in the city all the same, though.
The Time and Temperature Building (Chapman 1924) and the Peoples United Building (Fidelity 1910) are still my two favorite structures. Being located side by side in the center of downtown has always given Portland a substantial and fairly cosmopolitan look for a city of our size.
My only regret was the limited design effort and choice of materials for the 2+ floor addition to the Time and Temp Bldg in 1963. It was hideous looking upon completion and I am thankful that the building's owner improved it considerably in the late eighties. It blends in with the rest of the building much better and I have talked to numerous Portlander's who did not realize the top floors were an actual addition.
Is Tommy's Park that small park at Exchange and Middle streets? In visiting Portland, that's been one of my favorite spots. It definitely seems livelier than Monument Square, but it's also more at the center of the tourist spots there. I'd expect Monument Square to gain prominence as Bayside develops and it's more at the center of the developed part of the city. Having civic venues like the library and market there, plus the proposals in the peninsula transit study make it even stronger.
I like Church Street in Burlington and actually thought of it as I was writing my earlier post. As much as I like Church Street and as much as it bounds with a festival-like atmosphere at times, it has some serious drawbacks. Despite the street performers and cafes, it sometimes feels unserendipitous. I strongly dislike the piped in music and prevalence of chain stores that at times give it the feeling of a mall (albeit a very good, outdoor one). Perhaps in a similar way, I can't see even the impromptu demonstrations and performances that pop up in Market Square in Portsmouth and I presume in various squares in Portland. I could be wrong about that, though. My favorite places in Burlington by far are not on Church Street, and as much as I enjoy strolling down it for a bit, I think that speaks to something either about the physical space itself or the way it has been managed.