Time & Temp Building / Brown St. Parking Garage Redevelopment | Portland

As long as the developers completely restore the exterior, replace all of the windows, improve the appearance of the top two floors, replace the outdated sign on top and bring the arcade back to life they can do whatever they want with the interior rooms as far as I'm concerned. Latest rendering and I like how the fencing on top of the roof tends to add a little more height visually and will keep intoxicated guests from falling off the building! The architect did an excellent job of aligning the pilasters and adding thin brick to the 1963 two story addition which will be totally rebuilt.
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Side profile as viewed from the east and I am liking the cable rail fence.
 
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The rear profile of the tower is not my favorite due to the massive new fire escape that will be added which removes a few columns of windows but their options were limited. Also, the top portion of the fire escape appears to block a section of the digital sign which I'm guessing will only be noticeable from a certain elevation.
 
Are there communal kitchens serving those efficiency apartments?

While I understand wanting to upgrade the sign, both for energy efficiency and because American Sign & Indicator is no more, It's hate for it to go fully digital or something; the old-schoolness of it is part of its charm. I remember, when Portland Savings changed their branding to "The Bank" and changed the sign to match (it had previously been 3-phase with "PSB" the ad), one of the phases wasn't set to shut off completely before the next came on; it just changed abruptly and young me found it jarring.

Plus, even with modernization I believe they're constrained by state law; the reason that it's the only flashing sign facing a state highway in Maine is because there's a specific provision to grandfather it, and I believe that is tightly written (John Martin would only give Portland so much).
 
I'm thinking the new sign would maintain its current font, possibly add the ability for a 6th character and have the latest LED technology. Not sure if a few color options would be permitted for holidays and special occasions?
 
A few notes from tonight's neighborhood meeting in the Canopy Hotel which included a short slide presentation and a Q&A session with the developer and a Woodward and Curran representative.

* Project is moving forward and there is a City Council meeting on Tuesday.
* Preble Street will be the main entrance for the proposed hotel and the sidewalk will be rebuilt with brick and granite and will include trees.
* Developer will have 18 months to commence construction if project is approved on Tuesday.
* No Maine based banks have the capital to finance the development so out of state options are being pursued.
* Current plan for the hotel name would be the "Chapman Hotel at the Time & Temperature Building".
* Potential restaurant in the former WMTW 8 studio may be called the "Preble House" due to the previous structure that was on the site.

No new renderings were available that are different than the ones already posted. The possibility of adding a row of vertical windows on the new fire escape on the rear of the building was brought up and may be considered.
 
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Of course, the reality is that all our largest banks are now from out of state, ever since TD consolidated their ownership of Banknorth. Purely in-state, I believe we're left with Bangor and Camden Savings, Androscoggin Bank, and a bunch of little ones.
 
Maybe the ownership group should connect with the same financial lenders that backed Redfern's tower project.
 
According to the PPH article posted the other day regarding the historic district and credits said that the hotel project is dead. Now they are pushing for 250 affordable apartments while looking for historic credits
 
Sad state of affairs for this landmark building and the drama has been going on for over 4 years under the current ownership. Keeps getting bought by developers with great plans for its makeover but none of them have the financial resources to complete the project without grants, historic credits and outside money. My instincts are telling me that this will be a half ass project done on the cheap if it were to materialize and I would not be surprised if it sits vacant for another decade and eventually gets demolished due to neglect. I hope I'm wrong!
 
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I tried to watch/listen to last night's HPB meeting on this latest proposal. The audio is poor, but even if it was good the developers did not inspire a lot of confidence that they can get this done. They were asked about a timeline for moving forward and they said they'd have to do it in pieces, but that it's gonna be very difficult, the historic tax credit issues, etc... He said they were still negotiating with the seller so it sounds like that's not even a done deal yet. The prospects seem very dim, and like it's gonna take a quasi-miracle for this property to be revived.
 
I know that 477 Congress is a local landmark, but with the 2 story addition back in the 60's, does it negate the historic credits? The attached garage is beyond repair and needs to demolished, is it worth the money to spend hundreds of millions to restore it? maybe its time to let it go? I don't see anything great happening to this building for several years and will fall further into disrepair, graffiti, homeless hangout...
 
PWMFlyer said:
I know that 477 Congress is a local landmark, but with the 2 story addition back in the 60's, does it negate the historic credits? The attached garage is beyond repair and needs to demolished, is it worth the money to spend hundreds of millions to restore it? maybe its time to let it go? I don't see anything great happening to this building for several years and will fall further into disrepair, graffiti, homeless hangout...
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I don't think the addition affects its eligibility for tax credits, though the plans call for re-cladding those upper two floors so they more closely match the rest of the exterior. It sounds like much of the challenge, and expense, is coming in the attempt to retrofit the complex from commercial to habitat (hotel/apartments). They said the tower is the easier part, they're struggling to figure out how to redesign the other spaces (481 Congress, the arcade, Preble St., etc..) for residential use.

It reminds me of the redevelopment of the "Superman" building in downtown Providence. That building was vacant for a decade and it took a bunch of governmental financing to get rehab started on it, but the last thing I read was the developers were saying that ballooning construction costs meant that they were likely going to need even more help to keep the project going.
 
DZH22 said:
8/17
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The bee has become a thing, at least in the Portland subreddit.

Next time you're up, I would urge you to go get some pics of Hancock Street now that it's done. Most impressive way there: take Commercial St. east to India, turn up India, take the last right before Congress onto Federal, then right again onto Hancock.
 
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