Westbrook, ME

Planning board application materials for the 185-unit Seavey Street project, which includes 91 affordable units in 2 buildings from Avesta and 94 market-rate units in two other buildings on a ~3-acre site (61 units per acre). For some reason the renderings only illustrate the 2 buildings closest to Seavey Street, but there are two other 30-unit, 5-story buildings being planned for the interior of the site, next to the Stockhouse Restaurant parking lot:

View from the west, looking east toward Seavey Street (market-rate building on the left, Avesta's senior housing on the right):
H8GKxdn.png

View from Seavey Street looking west into the site, along an extended Oak Street:
BrpJdgr.jpg

Corner view of new market-rate building looking northeast:
YpCeTl4.png
 
cneal said:
For some reason the renderings only illustrate the 2 buildings closest to Seavey Street, but there are two other 30-unit, 5-story buildings being planned for the interior of the site, next to the Stockhouse Restaurant parking lot:
Click to expand...

This came up during the meeting in which this was presented (2/7/23). The renderings only show Phase 1. The buildings closer to Seavey are Phase 1; the ones closer to Stockhouse are Phase 2. This is indicated by the Roman numerals on Page 2 of that PDF.

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Portlander said:
It is an attractive looking project but beware of Avesta and their ability to bait and switch once construction nears completion.
Click to expand...

This is a collaborative development. The more attractive buildings are being built by New Ventures LLC. The blander ones (with the vertical corrugated-metal-looking cladding) are the Avesta buildings. Two buildings for each developer.
 
TC_zoid said:
I can see a large mural on the end of that garage. Please.
Click to expand...

If they can't find another developer to take over the residential portion that was supposed to completely block that wall, I agree that a mural would be great. I'd rather they find another developer to finish the project and build a multi-story residential building in that spot.
 
Too bad neither the residential on top of the parking garage or the residential building on the end ever materialized. Can you imagine what this development would look and feel like in downtown Westbrook?
 
cneal said:
Planning board application materials for the 185-unit Seavey Street project, which includes 91 affordable units in 2 buildings from Avesta and 94 market-rate units in two other buildings on a ~3-acre site (61 units per acre). For some reason the renderings only illustrate the 2 buildings closest to Seavey Street, but there are two other 30-unit, 5-story buildings being planned for the interior of the site, next to the Stockhouse Restaurant parking lot:

View from the west, looking east toward Seavey Street (market-rate building on the left, Avesta's senior housing on the right):
H8GKxdn.png

View from Seavey Street looking west into the site, along an extended Oak Street:
BrpJdgr.jpg

Corner view of new market-rate building looking northeast:
YpCeTl4.png
Click to expand...
Drove by and saw the entire wooded area has been cleared. Looks like it's moving forward. Much needed and good location.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
With the parking garage opening later this summer, the RFP has gone out to redevelop the primary City-owned downtown parking lots.

Bids • Downtown Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project

Bid Publication Date/Time: 3/27/2023 12:00 AM; Closing Date/Time: 4/25/2023 1:00 PM
www.westbrookmaine.com www.westbrookmaine.com
Click to expand...

The City has posted the bids to this RFP to develop several city-owned downtown parking lots:

Document Center • Westbrook ME • CivicEngage

The Document Center is for storage of documents of many different file types. Documents stored in the Document Center can be separated by folders and subfolders.
www.westbrookmaine.com www.westbrookmaine.com

"The City has agreed to move forward with the second phase of the RFP process and work with Great Falls Construction for Lot A and New Ventures/Avesta Housing for Lot B & C. As part of Phase 2 of the RFP process, more due diligence will be done by the developers and refinements to the proposals will be made based on feedback from the City and the public."

They're also developed a FAQ page in response to a local group that has formed to block any development of these lots: http://www.westbrookmaine.com/874/Downtown-Development

People still love their cars and hate walking and a broader tax base apparently.
 
Interesting to read the questions from the “Westbrook Downtown Development” website, for example:
“Parking garages are unsafe for women and at risk of fire since there will be electric charging spaces in the garage.”

The answer:
“The City recognizes that some may feel unsafe when parking in a parking garage. In order to help make the garage as safe a place to park as possible for everyone, glass stairwells were designed for security visibility, increased lighting in & around the garage, security cameras, and emergency call boxes along with staffed security, similar to the garage at One Riverfront Plaza. The parking garage itself is built to the latest National Fire Protection Academy (NFPA) codes for fire protection and electric vehicle charging stations are allowed with no additional risk of fire.”

westbrookmaIne.com/874/Downtown-Development
 
Based on the picture I saw, the average age of those that attended the first meeting of the anti-development group was probably over 65, hence the nature of the FAQ/Q&A. There is a significant "fear of change" and "fear of things not understood" component here.
 
Dr. StrangeHat said:
Based on the picture I saw, the average age of those that attended the first meeting of the anti-development group was probably over 65, hence the nature of the FAQ/Q&A. There is a significant "fear of change" and "fear of things not understood" component here.
Click to expand...
Let them do the safety dance!

Exactly. Many want to build their McMansion and then stop all development which they see as "harming the character of the city/town", but will complain their property tax is too much. Heaven forbid Maine increases their commerce and tax base.
 
I hadn't been paying attention to the area for a while, but now that the trees are bare I noticed the "Westbrook Senior Housing Project" near the HS is pretty far along. I didn't even know they had broken ground.
 
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