The Casco | 201 Federal Street | Portland

markhb said:
Portland already has a half-dozen buildings and a major thoroughfare named Baxter anyway; certainly didn't need another (and AFAIK the family had nothing to do with this one).

If they you name it the Algonquian will the ghost of Dorothy Parker show up to haunt it?
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I did have a momentary obsession with Parker, Stein and Picasso......~C
 
Portcity75 said:
This isn’t aimed at the developers but more of an observation. Look at the amount of time it has taken to build this 200 foot building in 2022-23. How the hell did cities like NYC get built to the scale it was decades and decades ago with no computers and whatnot? I get they went crazy putting up the Empire State, but there are hundreds and hundreds of buildings taller than Federal built in our grandparents and great grandparents days.

What’s sad is that this easily should have been another 5 stories taller withouT even triggering the worst of the local nimbys. From various angles it doesn’t even look like the tallest in skyline
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It is pretty amazing what they accomplished decades and decades ago.....and I agree. It doesn't even look that tall!! From anywhere - except for right under it! ~C
 
Redfern said:
It is pretty amazing what they accomplished decades and decades ago.....and I agree. It doesn't even look that tall!! From anywhere - except for right under it! ~C
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I think the Fidelity Trust building facing Monument Square was the second tallest building in New England when it was completed in 1910--and that includes all of Boston. I'd say Portland's fall from hi-rise prominence has been rather embarrassing, really. Let's see another residential one, this time 25 stories, and in Bayside. Save us from the Federated fiasco. We have faith in you.
 
If "fits with its surroundings" were a criterion in 1910 the Fidelity Building - 12 stories of white stone in a city of 6-story dark red brick - never would have been built at all.

Also, personally, I'd prefer Abenaki to Wabenaki or Algonquian. It's both more familiar and more particular to Maine. (Of course, if we're going back to the ferry lines you could name the building Island Holiday II).
 
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The 102 story Empire State Building (1931) being completed in just under 13 months is mind-blowing and very reminiscent of the efforts it took to complete the lofty Cambria Hotel in Portland in modern times.
 
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Portlander said:
The 102 story Empire State Building being completed in just under 13 months is mind-blowing in 1930-31 and very reminiscent of the time it took to complete the lofty Cambria Hotel in Portland in modern times.
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Amazing. ~ C
 
Portlander said:
The 102 story Empire State Building (1931) being completed in just under 13 months is mind-blowing and very reminiscent of the efforts it took to complete the lofty Cambria Hotel in Portland in modern times.
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Yes, it was like watching paint drying. It's truly amazing how the work ethic has changed.
 
Redfern said:
It is pretty amazing what they accomplished decades and decades ago.....and I agree. It doesn't even look that tall!! From anywhere - except for right under it! ~C
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Was heading south on 295 this afternoon and it looks impressive as you pass through the Tukey's Bridge area towards the Franklin Street exit.
 
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markhb said:
Portland already has a half-dozen buildings and a major thoroughfare named Baxter anyway; certainly didn't need another (and AFAIK the family had nothing to do with this one).

If they you name it the Algonquian will the ghost of Dorothy Parker show up to haunt it?
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The common area in the top of the tower will be overrun by the nouveau literati!
 
The crane's coming down this week:

Crane.jpg
 
If the building were only 15 floors it's impact on the skyline would be not be as noticeable and would have blended in with the other 10-14 story buildings in the Monument Square cluster. The additional 3 floors gives it enough of a commanding presence over the others to make an impact in my opinion. Let's start planning for a 22 story/250 footer as Portland's next benchmark and I think the block bounded by Free, Brown and Center Streets could be a perfect location for another residential development.
 
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