The Casco | 201 Federal Street | Portland

Portland has been filling in those parking lots one at a time from Congress Street down to Commercial: 201 Federal Street, Herald Square project, Canopy Hotel, Aloft Hotel, Hyatt Place Hotel, Free Street residential block, affordable housing project at Fore and Franklin, Hobson Landing which was an empty lumber yard and there are numerous vacant lots in the eastern waterfront area that have been developed. There are also projects proposed on two smaller parking lots on Commercial Street which include residential beside the Holy Donut and the Maine Public Broadcasting building next to the Galt Block. The Portland Square area and the Top of the Old Port lots are still the two major areas that need some serious infill and hopefully the PS parcels will materialize in the near future. Did I miss anything and I personally feel Portland is doing pretty well considering the impact the 2 year pandemic had on the overall economy! :)
 
Portlander said:
Portland has been filling in those parking lots one at a time from Congress Street down to Commercial: 201 Federal Street, Herald Square project, Canopy Hotel, Aloft Hotel, Hyatt Place Hotel, Free Street residential block, affordable housing project at Fore and Franklin, Hobson Landing which was an empty lumber yard and there are numerous vacant lots in the eastern waterfront area that have been developed. There are also projects proposed on two smaller parking lots on Commercial Street which include residential beside the Holy Donut and the Maine Public Broadcasting building next to the Galt Block. The Portland Square area and the Top of the Old Port lots are still the two major areas that need some serious infill and hopefully the PS parcels will materialize in the near future. Did I miss anything and I personally feel Portland is doing pretty well considering the impact the 2 year pandemic had on the overall economy! :)
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Haha - I'm just impatient and also *slightly* mocking the NIMBY's against development for the loss of their precious parking lots, scrap yards, etc. I just hope Portland builds upward instead of more stubby buildings. Federated will likely never build on the Midtown Land. The original taller plans were exciting, but you know ... shadows. Sad.
 
I'm with you Daniel on the previous trend towards stubby buildings and I had the mindset that I'll take a shorter structure over nothing at all in order to fill vacant lots. I'm also guilty of turning a blind eye to Portland's backside from Cumberland Avenue down to Marginal Way and I need to get onboard with the many improvements that have transpired there during the past decade.
 
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Dr. StrangeHat said:
According to Peter Monro, tall buildings eat people. I can't imagine what he's thinking as 201 Federal is built.

(No, I'm never going to let go of what that jack@$$ did with his Keep Portland Livable BS)
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I don't think he's a full time Portland resident either. Similar to others who balked about a development within the East End that would bring racial diversity to their neighborhood. Part time Portland residents worrying about their property values and not what Portland actually needs.

Just as misguided as the "Save the Soul" of Portland group for the Portland Foreside development and their "views" when one of the organizers built a house (equipped with an elevator) and blocked views herself. Imagine my shock.
 
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The change in elevation makes Franklin Towers look diminutive when viewed from the 17th floor of the new tower in the second photo!
 
What is the building height above sea level? Must be around 250 feet?
 
According to the site plan it averages around 100 feet ASL so the new tower would top out around 304 feet. The Eastland Hotel (Westin) is at the highest point of the spine and is close to 150 feet ASL which makes the Top of the East just over 300 feet also. However, the top of the Eastland's boiler shaft is even taller and will still be the highest point (not counting antennas) on the Portland skyline by approximately 15 feet as evidenced by this photo. The taller vertical beams on 201 Federal Street (L) are equal to the top of the mechanical penthouse.
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Recent photo of the Westin showing the boiler shaft that few people even notice. This highlights the additional height above the Top Of the East level (single window on left) that I would estimate as an extra 20 feet and making it equivalent to 16.5 floors. The hotel has 13 floors, Top of the East is the 14th "level" and the boiler shaft would add two and a half more. Most of the floors in the hotel are 8' as compared to 10' in the new tower.
 
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Another lot that has gone undeveloped is the lot next to 100 Middle. Since the 80's, I was surprised nothing came out. I might be wrong, was there a building proposed by Liberty?
 
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