Shipyard Brewery | Cambria Suites | 86 Newbury Street | Covetrus | 12 Mountfort Street | Portland

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Max

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Large redevelopment of former Shipyard Brewery site. Most of the site will be occupied by one building which will include 140,000 square feet of new office space for Covetrus, as well as a large pharmacy, labs and technical fulfillment space; redevelopment of Shipyard Brewing Co.’s brewery for use by Covetrus and Shipyard, including a demonstration brewery and retail; and a 105-room Cambria Suites hotel. 10 residences will be developed in 3 buildings facing Newbury Street.

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Citizen Self Service web site
egweb.portlandmaine.gov

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I have never seen a project take so long to add structural steel and begin the process of building up. They have been working on this site twice as long as some of the other developments that are already topped off. Still not one steel beam in place, maybe it was a difficult foundation that takes extra time to complete?
 
Portlander said:
I have never seen a project take so long to add structural steel and begin the process of building up. They have been working on this site twice as long as some of the other developments that are already topped off. Still not one steel beam in place, maybe it was a difficult foundation that takes extra time to complete?
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I'd be interested to know what's going on with this site as well. I walk or jog by almost every day and there's plenty of activity -- even on many Saturdays. But it seems they're just endlessly pushing dirt around. From my very untrained eye, it appears they've maybe had to put some additional supports in place to shore up the existing building? It does appear additional concrete has been poured on the Hancock Street side in recent weeks but I've been perplexed by the seeming lack of progress at this site.
 
I have to openly wonder if Covetrus survives this downturn. They were already struggling heading into it, and I know Idexx, which is a light-years stronger company financially and in the same industry, is starting to struggle.
 
It seems like a lot of the issue has come from the Newbury Street side where they have had to do a lot of work to shore up that retaining wall.

I think another thing slowing them down is the relatively complicated interconnected nature of the hotel, parking and office elements. It's a fairly complex build
 
I also noticed on the 24 hour camera that gives an above view of the site that there is a network of new steel beams that are covering the entire roof of the brewery. Not sure what that's all about?
 
Portlander said:
I also noticed on the 24 hour camera that gives an above view of the site that there is a network of new steel beams that are covering the entire roof of the brewery. Not sure what that's all about?
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Do you have a link to the cameras?
 
Goggle Bateman Partners LLC and go to their 86 Newbury Street project then click the public earth cam toggle half way down the page. There are three different camera views to choose from and I've been watching the progress for the past year from the comfort of my home! You can also check out the Fore Street office/garage project from the same vantage point.
 
Portlander said:
Goggle Bateman Partners LLC and go to their 86 Newbury Street project then click the public earth cam toggle half way down the page. There are three different camera views to choose from and I've been watching the progress for the past year from the comfort of my home! You can also check out the Fore Street office/garage project from the same vantage point.
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Cool watching the time lapse and seeing 100 Fore Street go up so quickly in the background
 
Any idea what all of the steel beams on the top of the brewery are for? Looking at the renderings I'm guessing it's for added support related to mechanical needs and there appears to be an L shaped roof skirt to hide everything but the steel grid covers the entire roof.
 
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Bloomberg reported yesterday that Covetrus got an infusion of $250 million. Makes sense in today's pandemic world with the biotech products they do. No wonder the site has been busy lately, as it was delayed for months. The webcam shows the foundation being poured. They will exit their former headquarters, so that will leave a near zero occupancy for the building they shared with CIEE. Of course, their business model (exchange students) has been dramatically affected. Down the road a bit, I see big things for this area, a veritable "Silicon Harbor" for Portland. With the rich fleeing NYC (they won't be back in any substantial way), Portland's future, actually, is looking brighter and brighter as it's ideal for working remotely. You think Facebook is going to still send 6,000 workers to Hudson Yards next year? Doubt it. Portland is a perfect city for social distancing with its lack of density--it has no tall buildings (14 stories is not a tall building). And hop on 295 and head north, and in 5 minutes it's nothing but trees.
 
TC_zoid said:
Bloomberg reported yesterday that Covetrus got an infusion of $250 million. Makes sense in today's pandemic world with the biotech products they do. No wonder the site has been busy lately, as it was delayed for months. The webcam shows the foundation being poured. They will exit their former headquarters, so that will leave a near zero occupancy for the building they shared with CIEE. Of course, their business model (exchange students) has been dramatically affected. Down the road a bit, I see big things for this area, a veritable "Silicon Harbor" for Portland. With the rich fleeing NYC (they won't be back in any substantial way), Portland's future, actually, is looking brighter and brighter as it's ideal for working remotely. You think Facebook is going to still send 6,000 workers to Hudson Yards next year? Doubt it. Portland is a perfect city for social distancing with its lack of density--it has no tall buildings (14 stories is not a tall building). And hop on 295 and head north, and in 5 minutes it's nothing but trees.
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Like mini Seattle!
 
Interesting, very interesting. If you look at Google Maps (3D view) of this site from last summer, it wasn't much different than a month ago. Now, of course, the hotel is going up relatively quickly and the Covetrus side is seeing the pour of the foundation (or that's what it looks like from the webcam). A few months ago it looked like Covetrus was a soon-to-be, bankrupt entity due to fraud and insurmountable debt. Two months ago, Covid-19 hit and one month ago, Covetrus received a $250 million investment. Since NYC and Boston are pandemic enablers due to their density, nearby, lower density populations (Portland) would seem a more logical place to live and work. Boston is or has become, a Big Pharma mecca. Many Chinese drug companies have located affiliate offices here. And Vertex has the most profitable drug on the market (for Hepatitis C). Perhaps Portland could be a new destination for this industry? It's so close to Boston. And if you have to work in Boston, every day, maybe that, in itself, is enough motivation to change your job? Idexx, Covetrus, and Immucell are, or can be, significant players now. Perhaps Portland can be THE prime destination for working and living in the Northeast. I don't know, who really does, but I do know that I'll be getting a nice apartment or condo here next fall. Love that harbor view.
 
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TC_zoid said:
Interesting, very interesting. If you look at Google Maps (3D view) of this site from last summer, it wasn't much different than a month ago. Now, of course, the hotel is going up relatively quickly and the Covetrus side is seeing the pour of the foundation (or that's what it looks like from the webcam). A few months ago it looked like Covetrus was a soon-to-be, bankrupt entity due to fraud and insurmountable debt. Two months ago, Covid-19 hit and one month ago, Covetrus received a $250 million investment. Since NYC and Boston are pandemic enablers due to their density, nearby, lower density populations (Portland) would seem a more logical place to live and work. Boston is or has become, a Big Pharma mecca. Many Chinese drug companies have located affiliate offices here. And Vertex has the most profitable drug on the market (for Hepatitis C). Perhaps Portland could be a new destination for this industry? It's so close to Boston. And if you have to work in Boston, every day, maybe that, in itself, is enough motivation to change your job? Idexx, Covetrus, and Immucell are, or can be, significant players now. Perhaps Portland can be THE prime destination for working and living in the Northeast. I don't know, who really does, but I do know that I'll be getting a nice apartment or condo here next fall. Love that harbor view.
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I second this. Now what would be great is the city to take advantage of this opportunity and highly incentivize development of housing, taller buildings and company relocating
 
PortlandLifeGuy said:
I second this. Now what would be great is the city to take advantage of this opportunity and highly incentivize development of housing, taller buildings and company relocating
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I've been in Texas the last two months, waiting this thing out. The strongest economy projections are for Austin, which has 15,000 new Apple employees on the way, in addition to promises from Musk for a truck factory. However, going back to Maine for most of the summer to see and stay with the folks, but have to make a quick stop to my NYC midtown apartment. All my NY friends, who have fled to the Hamptons (or Texas) are warning me not to do this, stop in NYC, because there is a strong chance I will get the virus and die! You think anyone who makes enough money to leave NYC will come back? Not until next year. NYC is a de facto, "dead town" now. It's sad but true. Not sure about Boston, but I do know that all of the noteworthy construction projects have stopped. But not Portland. Maine is social distancing ready--no density. I would think that selling real estate here would be a snap to someone from cities like New York or Boston. And even if there is a vaccine by next summer, there is always that looming thought creeping up in the back of one's mind. When is the next pandemic coming?
 
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The top photo just make me irritated again that the planning board granted the developers a waiver so they didn't have to bury the power lines on Newbury Street. A missed opportunity!
 
The power lines look like shit (again!)....pardon my language.
 
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