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

[Portlander]

^ Just fortunate when it comes to getting access to a few downtown rooftops. Mark, you must be psychic! We were actually discussing the former "ONE" logo and its placement this morning because the main tenant in the building (Wood Environmental) has been recently acquired and their current logo will need to be removed from the upper facade on each side. I mentioned that the new logo should be placed on the mechanical partition where it would be more visible so we'll see if my recommendation moves forward.

M&T Bank will also need to decide whether to replace the People's United Bank signage on the Fidelity Building roof with their logo or choose to completely remove the old sign once the merger is complete. They have a history of promoting their branding on top of buildings in numerous cities throughout the mid Atlantic region so I have a feeling they will not pass up on an opportunity to be visually represented in Maine's largest city. Would think that the current People's sign is grandfathered because it was Maine Bank & Trust prior to their merger.

 

[Portlander]

 

[markhb]

M&T Bank will also need to decide whether to replace the People's United Bank signage on the Fidelity Building roof with their logo or choose to completely remove the old sign once the merger is complete. They have a history of promoting their branding on top of buildings in numerous cities throughout the mid Atlantic region so I have a feeling they will not pass up on an opportunity to be visually represented in Maine's largest city. Would think that the current People's sign is grandfathered (MHS) because it was Maine Bank & Trust prior to their merger.

Although corporate signage doesn't tend to bother me, that one has ever since Betty Noyce put it up there. It's the only office building in the city with a roofline that actually makes an effort, I hate to see it obscured with that sign.

Also, count the defunct businesses in that photo of 511! (And it doesn't even show Bookland, in the set-back storefront between Deering Ice Cream and the office tower lobby entrance.)

 

[cneal]

These last few posts should probably get moved to "the existing built environment" thread, but since we're on this tangent anyhow, thought I'd express my appreciation for 511 Congress, which, though the plaza could use some TLC, is one of downtown's best examples of mid-century modernism IMHO.

The architect was Pietro Belluschi, a well-renowned 20th-century architect from the other Portland, who's probably best known for collaborating with Gropius on the PanAm Building above Grand Central in NYC.

 

[PlantArch]

These last few posts should probably get moved to "the existing built environment" thread, but since we're on this tangent anyhow, thought I'd express my appreciation for 511 Congress, which, though the plaza could use some TLC, is one of downtown's best examples of mid-century modernism IMHO.

The architect was Pietro Belluschi, a well-renowned 20th-century architect from the other Portland, who's probably best known for collaborating with Gropius on the PanAm Building above Grand Central in NYC.

511 Congress is not built in the MCM style. The true mid-century era was coming to an end in the mid sixties. This building was built in 1973 and would be more reflective of a mix of styles i.e. modernist/international/miesian. The potential was and is there to make this into a cool urban plaza but I don't believe the vision or desire is there.

 

[DanielPWM19]

511 Congress is not built in the MCM style. The true mid-century era was coming to an end in the mid sixties. This building was built in 1973 and would be more reflective of a mix of styles i.e. modernist/international/miesian. The potential was and is there to make this into a cool urban plaza but I don't believe the vision or desire is there.

Would have preferred this building be less set back from the street, get rid of the ramped "plaza" and put retail on the first floor. Add a few more stories and it would have been decent.

 

[PlantArch]

Would have preferred this building be less set back from the street, get rid of the ramped "plaza" and put retail on the first floor. Add a few more stories and it would have been decent.

The plaza was a great idea it just wasn't executed well.

 

[PWMFlyer]

Does anyone have an update on the renovation project?

 

[Max]

As best I can tell they've received approvals from the Planning Board and Historic Preservation, and last I knew they were going through the application process with National Park Service for approval of the historic preservation tax credits. At the last HPB hearing in the Spring the developers seemed gung-ho to keep the ball moving but it seems like there's been zero (visible) activity since then.

 

[Portlander]

I have to agree with markhb concerning the signage on top of the Fidelity Building. I hope M&T Bank removes the old one and does not replace it with their logo, at least from the Monument Square vantage point.

 

[Portlander]

Was told a few days ago that the construction firm for this renovation project reserved 30 parking spaces in the new Brown Street garage. Hopefully this is a good sign and it would be nice to have the makeover completed in 2024 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of when the Chapman Building was built and opened for business.

 

[Cosakita18]

Any updates on the 45 Brown St. Garage? I walked past yesterday and that garage is really in a rough condition. Seems like a garage rebuild is going to be necessary

 

[PWMFlyer]

Wasn't the project at the garage contingent on getting the TIF? I wish the developers would have moved forward with the concept design in the package that included a 15+ tower on the parking garage.

 

[Cosakita18]

Wasn't the project at the garage contingent on getting the TIF? I wish the developers would have moved forward with the concept design in the package that included a 15+ tower on the parking garage.

It was. I don't know what the status of that TIF request is.

I wonder if the developer will try again...I would imagine that the GND might make City Staff, the Planning Board and City Council a bit more sympathetic and eager to create TIF districts to help get shovels in the ground on some big housing projects...and really they're going to need to do something with that garage anyway. It's definitely at the end of its usable life

 

[Portlander]

Any news about the proposed makeover of this building? I'm becoming very concerned and would be extremely disappointed to see this landmark tower demolished in the future due to neglect and deterioration which could make it unfeasible to renovate.

 

[nomc]

Good question - the last activity was over a year ago. Looks like it was almost through the L3 review?

 

[Max]

I've been thinking about this building recently. Last I knew they'd received Planning Board and Historic Preservation Board approval, and next on their "to do" list was get approval of their plans from the National Park Service for historic preservation tax credits. But that was over a year ago and I haven't heard a peep since then. It does make me concerned that they've lost momentum and it's not going to happen. I can't imagine the building being demolished but all the deferred maintenance means that it'll only get more and more expensive to rehab.

 

[Cosakita18]

I have a suspicion that their parking garage on Brown St. might be a big financial obstacle. The structure is in a poor and deteriorating condition and likely needs a substantial amount of work just to safely handle the increased usage from the hotel.

Originally, their intention had been to replace the garage structure and top it with residential...but with the GND the numbers just don't pencil out. So now they're stuck with a deteriorating garage that needs to be replaced but can't be replaced in a way that makes sense.

 

[Conrad]

As I mentioned previously: I had an office in the Time and Temperature building, and they evicted every tenant in mid 2020. I now have an office across the street at 22 Monument Square.

Now it's almost 3 years later, and nothing of any substance has happened (and the new owners have received zero rent from tenants since then). I love that building, but it's a money pit. 50+ years of deferred maintenance. And the garage is worse.

 

[Conrad]

I got married at the Eastland in 1998, and the Time and Temperature building reminds me of that hotel back then. The elevator still required a human operator. My wife's maid of honor got one look at the bridal suite they gave us (the room was dingy and looked like it hadn't been updated in 40 years), and she went to the front desk to ask for a room change. Many of our guests mentioned that their rooms looked like the last guest left in 1950-something. We all had a blast, so it was totally worth it.

That hotel changed hands a bunch of times back then: it sold in 1997 and the owners declared foreclosure in 2000. It was renovated in 2004, and closed in 2011. Westin finally stepped in and renovated it (yet again). Now it's beautiful.