Skyline & Aerial photos | Portland

These are just a couple pictures I found on the web.

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matt.greeson said:
So much parking 😭
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Right?
Zoning says anything built east of Commercial Street (water side) has to be marine-based / marine-supporting but there is no way that all of those fields of parking are for fishermen/women or the staff supporting marine-based business – but there's no requirement for car parkers to attest they have driven down here to work on the waterfront, why are we holding all these acres for just cars and trucks? so if it's mostly parking for shoppers and office workers then it's already non-conforming and should be able to be developed into something else. Current zoning has a 100-acre loophole.
 
One has to look at the revenue prospects with the waterfront's future, then amend zoning laws. The Portland Fish Exchange's outlook looks grim (recent headlines). And now the cold storage facility too. The lobster industry is battling over supporters for endangered whales, and across the harbor Portland Pipeline's business model is faltering. But who will miss that? Perhaps marine-based businesses are not a big part of Portland's future? Zoning laws should reflect that.
 
GIL said:
That conversion is a variance.
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Which one is Merrill's? The one behind Sapporo where that one building went up, or is something going on by their bulk cargo pier?

Also, most of that parking is Long Wharf, which is home to DiMillo's restaurant and marina as well as the Cousin's Island ferry and several pleasure cruises. Plus, none of those lots are city-owned; the DiMillo family owns Long Wharf and I'm not sure about the one that Portland Lobster's on, but regardless it's not like anyone is "holding" it other than the owners.
 
markhb said:
Which one is Merrill's? The one behind Sapporo where that one building went up, or is something going on by their bulk cargo pier?

Also, most of that parking is Long Wharf, which is home to DiMillo's restaurant and marina as well as the Cousin's Island ferry and several pleasure cruises. Plus, none of those lots are city-owned; the DiMillo family owns Long Wharf and I'm not sure about the one that Portland Lobster's on, but regardless it's not like anyone is "holding" it other than the owners.
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Merrill’s is the warehouse converted to lawyers offices — and there was a proposal for A mixed-use development at Fisherman’s Wharf that was rejected on the pretext of being not marine-related that is a prime example of this unbalanced zoning “enforcement.”
 
mainejeff said:
All of that surface parking is obscene! Can you imagine that in any other port city? Come on Portland...get with the program!
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Agreed. I think one of the best developments for a waterfront is an aquarium along with a food court, though indoor/outdoor with a partially removable roof (to continue during the winter). The Boston Aquarium and surrounding area is always vibrant. After Rowes Wharf was built, the aquarium and surrounding area became even more popular as Rowes reduced public access to the waterfront. Rowes Wharf is what you don't want to do with a waterfront. It's primarily only for the wealthy with their housing (condos). A few years back they built a little stage area for concerts as a makegood for the public, but it doesn't really work. There are no food options other than one or two high-priced restaurants. The best place for an aquarium in Portland would be adjacent to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as it would co-exist for additional exhibitions and personnel to engage visitors--especially children. Kids bring energy. Old rich people do not.
 
First, I think we might need a separate Waterfront Discussion thread since this might wander afar from the Skyline Photos angle.

Portland aquarium primer for those of you who aren't crotchety geezers like myself:

GMRI was originally founded as the Gulf of Maine Aquarium, with the intent to build an aquarium on the Portland waterfront. As a kid in the 70's, I submitted a hand-drawn entry to their "create a logo" contest, which didn't win (the actual winner can be seen on this page; I don't know if GMRI still has it anywhere on their site). They did actually operate an aquarium for quite a while, a barge anchored at Long Wharf when that wharf was still a really decrepit and creepy place; I paid my quarter and went in many times to look at the fish and the various colored lobsters.

I believe that barge might have shut down around the time Tony DiMillo bought Long Wharf, but GMA still had plans to build a permanent facility. Around that time, in the early 80's (what I think of as the Michael Liberty / David Cope era of Portland development), the city commissioned a plan to create something very like Baltimore's Inner Harbor on the waterfront, likely in conjunction with the aquarium. (I bet that plan is still sitting in an archive somewhere, either at City Hall or the Portland Room at PPL.) It was a combination of that plan, the condo developments on Portland Pier and Central (now Chandler's) Wharf, and Liberty Group's Eastern Point development plan (condo tower in the area where Ocean Gateway is now) that inspired a transplant from the Pacific Northwest named Karen Sanford (or Sandford?) to create "Keep the Port in Portland" and organize the 1987 waterfront referendum.

Personally, my thought has always been that I want to see a working waterfront, not a wasted waterfront. Lobstering used to be a much smaller percentage of wharf usage compared to groundfishing (and especially compared to our huge lobster ports like Port Clyde and Monhegan), but you can only put so much energy into an industry that the federal government is actively trying to drive out of business, and the lobster boats have moved in as the fishing fleet has dwindled.
 
TC_zoid said:
One has to look at the revenue prospects with the waterfront's future, then amend zoning laws. The Portland Fish Exchange's outlook looks grim (recent headlines). And now the cold storage facility too. The lobster industry is battling over supporters for endangered whales, and across the harbor Portland Pipeline's business model is faltering. But who will miss that? Perhaps marine-based businesses are not a big part of Portland's future? Zoning laws should reflect that.
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You're cherry-picking negative examples. The working waterfront is evolving, but not dying. Traditional fishing is struggling, but other marine industries are growing.
  • The cold storage facility at the IMT is still moving ahead, just delayed with rising construction costs. The port just had its strongest year ever in terms of TEU volume, and I know that there are other shipping lines eyeing the IMT for new service
  • There are a lot of marine businesses that are thriving. GMRC is purchasing a research vessel and has also purchased Union Wharf to preserve it for marine industry
  • ORPC is a growing marine engineering company focused on using the ocean for renewable energy
  • The New England Ocean Cluster has its offices in the former science museum building and hosts about a dozen startups focused on marine resources and seafood
  • There's actually a berthing shortage for groundfishing boats in some places. As fishing has been pushed out of other areas, more fisherman are trying to find space on the waterfront, where marine access is protected
It's an economic and cultural asset that should be protected. It's also something that makes Portland unique and that residents can take pride in.
Although you seem to have a very negative and condescending view of anyone or anything that might make Portland "unappealing" to Tesla-driving tech workers.
 
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Cosakita18 said:
You're cherry-picking negative examples. The working waterfront is evolving, but not dying. Traditional fishing is struggling, but other marine industries are growing.
  • The cold storage facility at the IMT is still moving ahead, just delayed with rising construction costs. The port just had its strongest year ever in terms of TEU volume, and I know that there are other shipping lines eyeing the IMT for new service
  • There are a lot of marine businesses that are thriving. GMRC is purchasing a research vessel and has also purchased Union Wharf to preserve it for marine industry
  • ORPC is a growing marine engineering company focused on using the ocean for renewable energy
  • The New England Ocean Cluster has its offices in the former science museum building and hosts about a dozen startups focused on marine resources and seafood
  • There's actually a berthing shortage for groundfishing boats in some places. As fishing has been pushed out of other areas, more fisherman are trying to find space on the waterfront, where marine access is protected
It's an economic and cultural asset that should be protected. It's also something that makes Portland unique and that residents can take pride in.
Although you seem to have a very negative and condescending view of anyone or anything that might make Portland "unappealing" to Tesla-driving tech workers.
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It does appear to be a whole lot of open parking lots, but it’s great to read this list of actual water-based industries that are interspersed. 👍
 
TC_zoid said:
Agreed. I think one of the best developments for a waterfront is an aquarium along with a food court, though indoor/outdoor with a partially removable roof (to continue during the winter). The Boston Aquarium and surrounding area is always vibrant. After Rowes Wharf was built, the aquarium and surrounding area became even more popular as Rowes reduced public access to the waterfront. Rowes Wharf is what you don't want to do with a waterfront. It's primarily only for the wealthy with their housing (condos). A few years back they built a little stage area for concerts as a makegood for the public, but it doesn't really work. There are no food options other than one or two high-priced restaurants. The best place for an aquarium in Portland would be adjacent to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as it would co-exist for additional exhibitions and personnel to engage visitors--especially children. Kids bring energy. Old rich people do not.
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Is there recent formal talk of an aquarium in Portland? The main issue is getting investors to get behind this. I love the idea, and near the Gulf of Maine Research Institute makes sense, but not sure a non profit could pull it off with the current economic climate being uncertain.
 
I believe GMRI's website mentions that they were originally planning an aquarium (likely in the Wright's Wharf area where their building is, which is why I think Wex should take a sponsorship role if it ever happened), but I think they've moved away from the idea as their mission has become more research-focused. They don't even do Mr. and Mrs. Fish anymore AFAIK.

I believe the original projections were based on what a Tennessee aquarium (Nashville? Knoxville?) was doing at the time.
 
Cosakita18 said:
You're cherry-picking negative examples. The working waterfront is evolving, but not dying. Traditional fishing is struggling, but other marine industries are growing.
  • The cold storage facility at the IMT is still moving ahead, just delayed with rising construction costs. The port just had its strongest year ever in terms of TEU volume, and I know that there are other shipping lines eyeing the IMT for new service
  • There are a lot of marine businesses that are thriving. GMRC is purchasing a research vessel and has also purchased Union Wharf to preserve it for marine industry
  • ORPC is a growing marine engineering company focused on using the ocean for renewable energy
  • The New England Ocean Cluster has its offices in the former science museum building and hosts about a dozen startups focused on marine resources and seafood
  • There's actually a berthing shortage for groundfishing boats in some places. As fishing has been pushed out of other areas, more fisherman are trying to find space on the waterfront, where marine access is protected
It's an economic and cultural asset that should be protected. It's also something that makes Portland unique and that residents can take pride in.
Although you seem to have a very negative and condescending view of anyone or anything that might make Portland "unappealing" to Tesla-driving tech workers.
Click to expand...
I am for marine based businesses if you look at my previous comments in threads. But it needs to co-exist with public use needs on the waterfront. If you haven't noticed, it's companies like WEX and Roux that bring dynamic business and ideas to the city (and its waterfront). For years, Portland was a place that few wanted to do business in, and most drove by as it was nothing close to a tourist destination. There can be both. However, Portland Pipeline needs to go. And I'm not a big Tesla fan, or until locales can figure out how to generate more sustainable sourced power. It's stupid to charge an electric car with power generated from oil or gas. Each home should have enough solar panels with an inverter to do this.
 
markhb said:
I believe the original projections were based on what a Tennessee aquarium (Nashville? Knoxville?) was doing at the time.
Click to expand...
That would have been Chattanooga, the same city that ended up being the new headquarters for UNUM in 2002 after the merger with Provident which still annoys me to this day.
 
Cosakita18 said:
You're cherry-picking negative examples. The working waterfront is evolving, but not dying. Traditional fishing is struggling, but other marine industries are growing.
  • The cold storage facility at the IMT is still moving ahead, just delayed with rising construction costs. The port just had its strongest year ever in terms of TEU volume, and I know that there are other shipping lines eyeing the IMT for new service
  • There are a lot of marine businesses that are thriving. GMRC is purchasing a research vessel and has also purchased Union Wharf to preserve it for marine industry
  • ORPC is a growing marine engineering company focused on using the ocean for renewable energy
  • The New England Ocean Cluster has its offices in the former science museum building and hosts about a dozen startups focused on marine resources and seafood
  • There's actually a berthing shortage for groundfishing boats in some places. As fishing has been pushed out of other areas, more fisherman are trying to find space on the waterfront, where marine access is protected
It's an economic and cultural asset that should be protected. It's also something that makes Portland unique and that residents can take pride in.
Although you seem to have a very negative and condescending view of anyone or anything that might make Portland "unappealing" to Tesla-driving tech workers.
Click to expand...

Can farmers get Teslas too?....because I am getting one.
 
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