Dr. StrangeHat
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- Sep 13, 2012
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Seems as though there might actually be some demand for Westbrook having it's own thread, so I'm going to go ahead and create one.
To kick this all off, I'm repeating some of my initial thoughts for downtown Westbrook (I have a whole lot more). I consider the "core" downtown to be the stretch from Stroudwater Street to Saco Street, from William Clarke Drive to the river, but also including One Riverfront Plaza (Disability RMS) and the Dana Warp Mill.
From the "Portland, ME - New Construction Thread":
I grew up in Westbrook, work downtown Westbrook and own a home here now, so I do see what grittys457 is seeing and talking about. But I don't have as dire an outlook. There is a whole lot of potential here if someone would just invest in it.
For example:
(1) Tear down the old Main Rubber plant and the discount liquor store, and replace it with a mized use development that incorporates the newer building next to the discount liquor store and the building Profenno's bar/restaurant is located in.
(2) Revisit the 5-7 story residential tower idea on the site of Sacarpappa Park.
(3) Build two buildings like the artist condo/apartments mentioned above on the site of the old gas station (post environmental clean-up, which will likely take some Federal funds).
(4) Build some sort of two-level parking structure with retail or offices facing William Clarke Drive and Center Street in the parking lot behind CVS/Family Discount, in addition to filling in the gap between CVS and the building next to it (currently parking).
Plus, I love the idea presented in this article of shifting the Bridge Street bridge west, extending the boardwalk along the river and creating a small pedestrian mall in between the buildings housing Portland Pie and Frog & Turtle:
http://www.keepmecurrent.com/americ...cle_c5db64e4-e722-11e1-8b62-0019bb2963f4.html
I agree that there are parts of downtown further east on Main Street that are becoming a Skid Row of sorts (not to mention Brown Street, which has always been a Skid Row of sorts), but some investments in the core downtown area between Stroudwater Street and Saco Street could go a long way.
To kick this all off, I'm repeating some of my initial thoughts for downtown Westbrook (I have a whole lot more). I consider the "core" downtown to be the stretch from Stroudwater Street to Saco Street, from William Clarke Drive to the river, but also including One Riverfront Plaza (Disability RMS) and the Dana Warp Mill.
From the "Portland, ME - New Construction Thread":
I grew up in Westbrook, work downtown Westbrook and own a home here now, so I do see what grittys457 is seeing and talking about. But I don't have as dire an outlook. There is a whole lot of potential here if someone would just invest in it.
For example:
(1) Tear down the old Main Rubber plant and the discount liquor store, and replace it with a mized use development that incorporates the newer building next to the discount liquor store and the building Profenno's bar/restaurant is located in.
(2) Revisit the 5-7 story residential tower idea on the site of Sacarpappa Park.
(3) Build two buildings like the artist condo/apartments mentioned above on the site of the old gas station (post environmental clean-up, which will likely take some Federal funds).
(4) Build some sort of two-level parking structure with retail or offices facing William Clarke Drive and Center Street in the parking lot behind CVS/Family Discount, in addition to filling in the gap between CVS and the building next to it (currently parking).
Plus, I love the idea presented in this article of shifting the Bridge Street bridge west, extending the boardwalk along the river and creating a small pedestrian mall in between the buildings housing Portland Pie and Frog & Turtle:
http://www.keepmecurrent.com/americ...cle_c5db64e4-e722-11e1-8b62-0019bb2963f4.html
I agree that there are parts of downtown further east on Main Street that are becoming a Skid Row of sorts (not to mention Brown Street, which has always been a Skid Row of sorts), but some investments in the core downtown area between Stroudwater Street and Saco Street could go a long way.