South Portland, Maine

I don't see substantial pushback from nearby residents because the entire development is replacing basically nothing. And it's situated on the other side of oil tanks and oil tankers offloading at the oil terminus (not busy but nevertheless still used), so somewhat hidden from view. However, an uncertain economy could factor on financing despite Southern Maine's demand for much more. How great would it be if giant Exxon just gave the city the land and left for good. Maybe there is a potential state barter for this to happen? Without that oil cargo facility, this piece of land is pure gold. Perhaps the state could buy that land and with this new valuation having increased substantially, they could sell it to a party that would build something that benefits more than just South Portland. Be creative.
 
Portlander said:
I read somewhere that they have lowered the height of the tallest building in the zoning request to 140' which is around 12 floors which matches the structure to the far left in Tom's rendering.
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Taking the Roux Institute strategy. Start with a taller height and then "compromise" down to the height you -really- wanted to build to. :)
 
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TC_zoid said:
I don't see substantial pushback from nearby residents because the entire development is replacing basically nothing. And it's situated on the other side of oil tanks and oil tankers offloading at the oil terminus (not busy but nevertheless still used), so somewhat hidden from view. However, an uncertain economy could factor on financing despite Southern Maine's demand for much more. How great would it be if giant Exxon just gave the city the land and left for good. Maybe there is a potential state barter for this to happen? Without that oil cargo facility, this piece of land is pure gold. Perhaps the state could buy that land and with this new valuation having increased substantially, they could sell it to a party that would build something that benefits more than just South Portland. Be creative.
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Brilliant
 
matt.greeson said:
www.pressherald.com

South Portland council gives initial approval to 55-unit expansion of Betsy Ross House

The independent living apartment complex for older adults is near South Portland's Greenbelt Walkway and Bug Light Park.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com

Construction fencing for this has gone up along the Greenbelt trail.
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Photos from this afternoon.
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From the SP Planning Board meeting last night, Chick-fil-a will be building a restaurant in parcel A in the next year. Macys owns the land and will lease it out. Macys is looking to develop its parcels to bring in revenue. no word on the Sears parcels.
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In other action, Next Gen who runs the Days Inn is looking to build a 7 story building that will house a hotel on the site of the former Chilis.
 
So next to Longhorn... nice! At the same time, it's a shame that it's taking one of the few parking lots that's still heavily used.
 
www.pressherald.com

Yard South developer withdraws controversial plan in South Portland

PK Realty Management submitted a rezoning request in July for a proposal that would have added about 1,000 residential units, a waterfront park and other community amenities to the city's eastern waterfront.
www.pressherald.com www.pressherald.com


Honestly, not surprising sadly. This has been an uphill battle from the beginning and I think they realized they didn't have the support at the City level.
 
From the linked article:
“It’s just become really apparent that the city doesn’t have a process in place to manage a project of this scope and scale,” Packard said. “It’s a systemic issue, and it exists across Maine.”
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Passive aggressive much?
 
Portland approved 1,300 new housing units in 2023, and in 2024 we are at 439 (today's PPH on hotel development). Perhaps some hi-rises can be built now that the ReCode was passed last night. If it looks like a duck...
 
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Apologies if there’s a Maine Mall thread I’m missing but I’d like to give my props + ideal vision for the area and couldn’t find a better thread than South Portland.
Went through the Maine Mall today (Monday at 1pm) and it was lively, no vacancies, and enjoyable in the inside. Props to the Maine Mall and its leaders because they’re doing a great job staying away from the dying age of malls.
From the outskirts of the parking lot it looked lifeless and like a mall that is dying. This is due to the absurd amount of parking that, due to online shopping, has not been needed for some time.
The lots circled in the lower right are overgrown, crumbling, and roped off. Others that were circled; completely empty. So many malls are seeing revitalization efforts with loads of housing options, public amenities, etc. some are even being torn down (Portsmouth in the news a few days ago to be turned into a mixed-use development).
I feel Maine and its “leaders” play from behind the 8-ball on a lot of these ideas to bring new life and housing options to the area. If only a developer could work out a deal to buy a parking lot at a time and throw up some more Latitude-looking buildings, the Mall and surrounding area would benefit from it economically and aesthetically.
What happened to that plan a while back to add housing to the parking lots? Do you all think there is mixed-use future for the Maine Mall?
 
We have Chick-fil-A on the Planning Board agenda Wednesday near Best Buy. This is being developed by Macy's which owns several tracts of land. The Maine Mall is unique that department stores actually owned vs leased land. Aka the Sears tract was recently sold to Dicks. Alot of moving pieces when looking at developed land
 
At one time, there were plans for a cinema multiplex in that green spot in the lower right corner. I think that became Westbrook Cinemagic instead. But that's another buildable lot.

Chick-Fil-A is going into a spot between Longhorn and Best Buy, basically in front of Macy's. (Not correcting you, Flyer, just adding more detail.)

Sears owned everything on their end, including the parking lots, except possibly the big lot in front of Round1 (they may have owned that as well, I don't remember), and definitely including the land under On The Border. I am not surprised that nothing has been done with the OTB building, because who would want to get dragged into the morass that is the mouldering corpse of Sears.

Incidentally, I hear the former Macaroni Grill is being turned into a Korean BBQ. And the Hampton Inn has given up its affiliation and is now the "Long Creek Hotel". (Edit: It appears that, even though it's not wearing a brand, it's listed on the IHG (Holiday Inn corp) site, so maybe it's awaiting a refurb or something before rebranding into one of theirs.)
 
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I still think one of those parking lots would be a great spot for a brand new state-of-the-art soccer stadium for Hearts of Pine

Potential Soccer Stadium | Portland peninsula

So with the improvements going ahead at Fitzpatrick, does that mean the possibility of a new stadium on the Back Cove is dead? Or is that something that could still happen down the line? We would 100% still be open. Friends of Casco Bay killed it. Not sure we could overcome that kind of...
archboston.com
 
Nice to learn about a proposal for infill in Knightville. Makes good sense and is long overdue. From today’s PPH:

“A proposed development across from Mill Creek Park will include 208 market-rate residential units.

With a zoning amendment, developers Ocean’s 170 LLC would be able to build six residential floors instead of five, adding 68 more units than previously planned. The seven-story, mixed-use development would replace what is now a skate shop, bank and parking lot in South Portland’s Knightville neighborhood.

The project is now in the site-plan review process, and South Portland Planning Director Milan Nevajda expects it to come before the planning board next spring.”

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One of the MANY parcels in the Knightville neighborhood in South Portland that could use this! There’s no reason that the skate shop, bank and another store or two won’t be right there on the ground floor when completed! Right along the edge of the park too. This is a huge win for Sopo!
Any more renderings? Having trouble imagining the buildings footprint.
 
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