Portland Projects & Development

[cneal]

^Great find! This would be excellent in this location. It is similar to the style of the AAA building at the next major intersection on Marginal Way. I wonder how they can squeeze the Amtrak around these buildings?

I think that the Amtrak line is planned to go parallel to I-295, the overpass of which you can see in the background here. There's still plenty of state-owned right of way along the highway, which gobbles up a lot of valuable real estate with all of its on- and off-ramps.

[evan d]

whats the tallest building in Portland?

[M. Brown]

whats the tallest building in Portland?

I think its that ugly residential tower.

[evan d]

u have a pic

[M. Brown]

u have a pic

Here it is at emporis.

[evan d]

ugly

[cneal]

The proposal for the Village Cafe block has come out:

The project includes over 300 underground parking spaces, ground floor retail space, and 250 condos.

City planners are concerned about height (up to 9 stories) blocking out sunlight to the streets below.

The developers claim that the height is necessary to keep the residences relatively affordable (the cheapest ones will be $300 k as is). I don't buy this entirely; after all, fewer condos would mean less need for underground parking, which is going to be the most expensive element of the project.

I continue to be concerned that luxury development in this area will make Munjoy Hill and other parts of the peninsula unaffordable to the people who work there. And if they move away, they'll take their small businesses with them... and the tacky, soulless boutiques of the Old Port will spread like a cancer to take their place.

Here's the compromise I'd offer if I were the Planning Board: let the developers have the extra height, on the condition that 20 or 30 housing units are affordable to people who make less than the median income. Those people are less likely to need so many parking spaces, esp. if they work nearby, so the developers will be able to save money by building fewer parking spots.

This is also designed by the same architect (Winton Scott) who designed the Westin and the Ocean Gateway terminal, also in the same neighborhood. He does good work, but I'm also concerned that this whole neighborhood will be dominated by his buildings. It would be nice to have some different designers in play to mix up the architectural variety.

[M. Brown]

City planners are concerned about height (up to 9 stories) blocking out sunlight to the streets below.

Bull. Build a 1,000 footer

[evan d]

yea a 1000 footer in manchester

[dereksto]

Many of the Portland projects are dying. The 9-story towers have been bumped t 7 and are up for re-approval (my father lives in the area and is in the industry) and the condo tower proposed for downtown has been killed due to lack of financing for the time being. Too bad.

[dereksto]

City solicits proposals to build new housing: 01-17-05

"A small city-owned lot at Danforth and High streets will be the site of a new housing project if Portland officials have their way. The building probably would consist of several stories built on top of ground-level parking, Shapiro said."

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/loc...17housing.shtml

[M. Brown]

What are the chances of this getting approved?

[dereksto]

The city itself is soliciting proposals, so since the city does the approval process as well, if this thing comes across as described in the article, chances are more than likely 100% that it will be approved. Portland still has to await a proposal though, before naything gets approved. The city is calling for a design like that in the article, it seems. oh, and several stories probably means 5 or less.

[dereksto]

I have been reading a lot about Portland lately; I may have to start spending some more time up there. DOes anyone recall the proposal there last year to build a 17-story office tower next to an arena? well, I just heard that that proposal will be floated again as soon as the current governor is out of office. and some condo that was supposed to be built up there just lost financing. thats all I got for now.

[Cotuit]

DOes anyone recall the proposal there last year to build a 17-story office tower next to an arena? well, I just heard that that proposal will be floated again as soon as the current governor is out of office.

That's an interesting area, just outside the Old Port. I'd live there.

[dereksto]

That's an interesting area, just outside the Old Port. I'd live there.

is Old Portland part of the city of Portland?

[Cotuit]

The Old Port is the 'hip' area where all the bars and restaurants are. Roughly between City Hall and the Waterfront.

[dereksto]

So it is a part of the ciyt of Portland, though, correct? How big is it? is it just a few blocks, or is it a distinct area somehow? what do you mean, hip? hippyish?

[DPCMikeT]

Longfellow place is due to start construction in september at oceangateway.

www.thelongfellow.com

the westin is scheduled to start demolition this month..

www.livingatthewestin.com

[Inkdaub]

What's the cost of living in Portland? My ex-fiance and I once entertained plans of moving there. I always imagine moving there anyway...just up and going without telling anyone...haha. How far is Boston by car or train? I read these books and much of the action takes place in Portland and environs.

[Cotuit]

What's the cost of living in Portland? My ex-fiance and I once entertained plans of moving there. I always imagine moving there anyway...just up and going without telling anyone...haha. How far is Boston by car or train? I read these books and much of the action takes place in Portland and environs.

Portland is relatively less expensive than Boston or Providence. The big cost would be home heating as winter is considerably longer than it is in Southern New England, it doesn't seem that far north, but it's just north enough that winter starts earlier and ends later. Most home heating is by oil, and as we all know, the prices of oil are going up. New windows and energy efficient equipment is really worth the cost. Being a coastal city, the ocean tempers the climate though, so winters are not as intense as places like Buffalo or Minneapolis.

Driving from Boston to Portland is around 2 hours, it can be a bit less, the Maine Turnpike and 95 in New Hampshire can have a lot of traffic during the summer, particularly 95 in New Hampshire at either end of the weekend. The Amtrak Downeaster is 2 1/2 hours and makes four round trips daily. The service is very popular.

[JDC]

I'm considering a move to Portland in the coming years. I live in Durham NC now but home to me is New England (but I'll never afford Boston).

[Cotuit]

I wanted to move to Portland when I left New York. I had lived there before in the early 90s. My boyfriend vetoed it because he coudn't hack that much winter (it really does have a lot of winter). That's how we ended up in Providence, New England with not so much winter (but enough winter for me ).

[ItalMG]

Anyone know how the Whole Foods is doing? It just opened, right?

[DPCMikeT]

whole foods is doing great, of course now that whole foods and wild oats are now merging we dont know what is going to happen.