Westbrook, ME

I'd like to see more "lifestyle" developments in Maine. This seems like the perfect spot for one. Dense residential housing/neighborhood with sustainable retail/restaurant development.....think Starbucks, Walgreens, Jamba Juice, Supercuts, Trader Joes, banks, etc.
 
I really like the concept of the old-style self-supporting neighborhood that includes dense housing plus retail and other commerce to support that neighborhood, like a corner store, laundrymat, bakery, hardware store, pharmacy, etc.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
I really like the concept of the old-style self-supporting neighborhood that includes dense housing plus retail and other commerce to support that neighborhood, like a corner store, laundrymat, bakery, hardware store, pharmacy, etc.
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Of course, that's what downtown Westbrook was before it was gutted by Urban Renewal.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
I really like the concept of the old-style self-supporting neighborhood that includes dense housing plus retail and other commerce to support that neighborhood, like a corner store, laundrymat, bakery, hardware store, pharmacy, etc.
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What? We have a corner store (with a parking lot) a laundromat (with a parking lot) a bakery (with a parking lot) a hardware store (with a parking lot) and a pharmacy (with a huge parking lot). And what's the first thing brought up in response to any proposed downtown development? Where's everyone going to park?

While I agree in every way in principal with your thoughts for the residential side of the pipe dream formerly known as Stroudwater Crossing, or Clarke Farm, or Prides Corner School (In fact you all but quoted my responses to the survey for the Comprehensive Plan approval) I expect another Conner Ln, or Miles Dr type development - at best an Amy Ln for Stroudwater and Clarke Farm, and Prides Corner School redevelopment is already setting the bar at Brydon Farms level.
 
Davepacz said:
I expect another Conner Ln, or Miles Dr type development - at best an Amy Ln for Stroudwater and Clarke Farm, and Prides Corner School redevelopment is already setting the bar at Brydon Farms level.
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Yeah, that's what I'm figuring will go there as well. By the sounds of it the Clarke Farm development is going to put the single-family homes to the rear of the property and focus more on multi-family construction on the Spring Street side.


In other news, it appears that Westbrook is joining the conversation on outdoor music pavillions in the area. On the heels of the venues proposed on Thompson's Point in Portland and Spring Point in South Portland, Westbrook is now proposing a smaller one (1,500-3,000 people) in Riverbank Park. There's an article in the American Journal today about it. It hasn't been posted on line yet, but I'll post it here once it's up.

I have to say, I love this idea. There's all of the open space in between the current band shell and the American Legion building that would be perfect for something like this. I may try to get involved in the planning on this one, since I have some experience from my college years in concert promotion and production.
 
Article in the Press Herald today:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Dou...r_concert_venues_may_mean_one_is_doomed_.html

Here's the proposed location:

20140221_546565.xml-RiverbankParkMusicVen0214.jpg
 
Just to add, I don't think this is necessarily going to come down to one venue being built or the other. This and the South Portland venue could both work. Down in MA you have both the Comcast Center and the Bank of America Pavilion. Bands that aren't big enough to fill the bigger Comcast Center play the Bank of America Pavilion instead. So, the bigger acts could play in the SoPo venue, while the smaller acts could play at the Westbrook venue.

Just the prospect of being able to stumble home from a concert in Riverbank Park instead of having to get a $20-30 cab from Portland is exciting to me. LOL
 
Update on the Pike property shopping plaza. Glad it's going to be Market Basket after all and not a Wal-Mart:

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/11/16/market-basket-to-anchor-planned-shopping-plaza-in-westbrook/

This caught my attention as well:

"He said he might return to the Westbrook Planning Board to approve changes to the original plan, such as a new configuration for interior traffic flow or a residential component to the project."

This would be a great location for some high-rise residential development, especially since there are no wealthy transplants living nearby who are afraid that tall buildings will cause hurricane force winds on clear sunny days or that the buildings themselves will eat them (yes, that's a not-so-subtle dig at our good friends at Keep Portland Livable). Tall structures here would have views of both the Portland skyline and the Presidential Range, since this property sits slightly elevated compared to the surrounding area.
 
A rendering of the site posted by the developer shows a slightly different site layout, as well as an office building on the site closest to the Westbrook Arterial

Master-Plan-facing-exit-48-e1499291084499.png
 
Is the entire TravelLodge (old Susse Chalet) coming down, or just the portion that parallels the Turnpike? I notice that both portions are gone in that rendering.
 
According to the plans the new hotel is going to sit further back on the property closer to the pit (future lake), so I think they'll be fine. The bridge at Brighton Ave. was already expanded to handle the additional travel lanes below many years ago before the widening effort was halted at Scarborough, so I think the impact of construction will be minimal.

I'm really hoping the owners of the Motel 6 decide to either renovate or tear-down and rebuild, because that thing has become an eyesore (it was an eyesore when it was built and has gone steadily downhill ever since). It'll stick out even more with the new Hampton Inn across the street and the new shopping plaza. Heck, even the Super 8 closer to the turnpike exit is even going through some renovations.
 
Planning Board agenda item for November 5th:

Capture2.PNG


100 Larrabee Road is the property that houses Advance Auto Parts, PHOever Maine, Namco, Sherman Williams, Jokers, Sim-City Golf, etc. Maine Community Bancorp is the parent company of Biddeford Savings Bank and Mechanic Savings Bank.

This is a good-sized property at nearly 8 acres. It'll be interesting to see how big they plan on going with the building. Hopefully the plan is to put it closer to the road than the existing building.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
Planning Board agenda item for November 5th:

View attachment 793

100 Larrabee Road is the property that houses Advance Auto Parts, PHOever Maine, Namco, Sherman Williams, Jokers, Sim-City Golf, etc. Maine Community Bancorp is the parent company of Biddeford Savings Bank and Mechanic Savings Bank.

This is a good-sized property at nearly 8 acres. It'll be interesting to see how big they plan on going with the building. Hopefully the plan is to put it closer to the road than the existing building.
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I wish Westbrook would put the submissions online. Do you think this is a full replacement of the building?
 
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