Planning board approves site plan for 30-story tower in Old Port

Rendering / Courtesy Safdie Architects The Portland Planning Board Monday evening approved the major site plan and traffic movement permit application for construction of a 30-story tower, with numerous conditions.

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By Laurie Schreiber

The Portland Planning Board, on Tuesday evening, approved the major site plan and traffic movement permit application for the construction of a 30-story tower in the Old Port neighborhood.

The 200,000-square-foot tower would include 88 hotel units, 73 residential units, restaurant, café and amenity space with associated site improvements, at 45 Union St.

Portland developer East Brown Cow is working on the project with Safdie Architects, a Boston design studio that works globally.

The site plan approval doesn’t constitute approval of building plans, which must be reviewed and approved by the city’s permitting and inspections department. The planning board imposed a number of other conditions.

The site, at 45 Union St., is now a surface parking lot in the middle of a four-acre block delineated by Middle, Union, Exchange and Fore streets.

The city’s new land-use code, known as ReCode, raised the maximum allowable heights of buildings in the downtown area.

Traffic management

The approval followed considerations that had been raised at workshops, including a shadow study, building design, solid waste management, snow and ice removal, traffic movement, valet operations and parking and bicycle storage.

The board said they were satisfied with the applicant’s planning process for each point and imposed a number of conditions to ensure plan fulfillment.

Garnering the most discussion was traffic management due to projections of additional congestion in an already busy neighborhood, coupled with pedestrian safety. A traffic management plan included points such as alterations of turn lanes on streets bordering the site and removal of some street parking spaces to improve sightlines, plus an evaluation of lighting conditions at the four intersections.

The plan includes indoor and outdoor bike spaces, existing and new, within the square and in the Old Port Square Garage.

For and against

The public hearing portion of the meeting drew pros and cons.

Those opposing said the building is too high, would ruin the skyline and doesn’t conform with the Old Port’s character. Another objection was that the tower’s condos would do nothing to address the city’s need for affordable housing.

“People come here because of what we have,” said one speaker. “People leave cities because of big buildings.”

Said another, “It’s just going to be another nail in the coffin of our downtown.”

But several in favor said the project would add a vibrant energy to the downtown and also conforms with the city’s height standards.

“That pedestrian vibrancy is what makes the Old Port so wonderful,” said one speaker.

Another said, “This is a classic infill project that takes a parking lot and makes it housing and a hotel. It has all the ingredients that we’ve advocated for.”

Ultimately, the planning board agreed that the project meets the city’s zoning standards.

Bike racks, stormwater

The plan approval is subject to conditions. Before a building permit can be issued, the applicant must submit a finalized stormwater management plan for review and approval, and establish a public access easement, with reviews, encompassing all publicly accessible areas of the site within the property boundary, including sidewalks and open spaces.

Other conditions include coordinating with the department of public works to finalize a design of utility connections between the project site and Union Street and providing condominium documents for review.

Before a certificate of occupancy can be issued, the applicant must enter into an agreed-upon affordable housing agreement with the city for three off-site inclusionary zoning units. Or the applicant can satisfy the inclusionary zoning requirement through certain fees.

The applicant must coordinate with planners to finalize the locations and installation of bicycle racks within the public right-of-way on Middle, Exchange and Union streets; and must work with the Maine Department of Transportation on lighting conditions.

If the applicant requests material or architectural changes that deviate substantially from approved architectural plans, the proposed changes must be submitted to the planning board for review as a major site plan amendment.

The site plan approval will expire three years from the date of approval unless development has been undertaken in accordance with the approved plan and site work or building construction is ongoing. Any lapse in construction for a period in excess of 12 months will result in an expiration of the plan.

Board members recognized concerns expressed by residents but generally said they support the project.

With regard to the height, “Somebody’s got to go first,” said one.