Outrage over plans for huge skyscraper that will tower over quaint Maine fishing metropolis
Plans to build a towering 400-foot skyscraper over the Maine fishing hub of Portland divided opinions amid fears the structure will dramatically change the city’s skyline.
The proposal for the skyscraper received unanimous approval from the city’s planning board on Tuesday night, despite some locals voicing opposition.
The new building will stand over 30 stories and will loom over the city’s Old Port, sparking concern among those that fear it will tarnish the quaint style of the area.
In a planning meeting in September, local resident Paul Correia branded the plans ‘an eyesore’ and said he hoped the city-altering building would not go ahead.
‘I think it transforms the Portland skyline in a way that isn’t attractive to me,’ Correia said.
After the plans passed the approval board this week residents voiced criticism online, with one remarking that it will ‘stick out like a sore thumb’.
‘Not against taller buildings but this is out of scale,’ another said, comparing the design to an ‘Orlando drop ride’ rollercoaster.
The tower, proposed by developer East Brown Cow Management LLC, would be by far the tallest building in the Maine city.
Plans to build a towering 400-foot skyscraper over the Maine fishing hub of Portland divided opinions as officials pushed to dramatically change the city’s skyline
The new building will stand over 30 stories and will loom over the city’s Old Port, sparking concern among those that fear it will tarnish the area’s quaint aesthetic, with local resident Paul Correia branded the plans ‘an eyesore’
Developers say the skyscraper will be a mixed-use building, including more than 70 residential units and an 88-room hotel.
The tower will also include a restaurant at the top level, and the proposal is part of a wider project called Old Port Square to renovate the area around the waterfront, reports Bangor Daily News.
The development comes after Portland relaxed its zoning laws last year to incentivize construction in the city.
The new policies increased the maximum height for buildings in the city up to 380 feet, which is how tall the skyscraper would stand.
At the final hearing on the approvals this week, the reception to the plans was reportedly divided.
Thomas O’Boyle, director of advocacy at the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, voiced his support at the meeting, saying: ‘This project shows that Portland can honor its history while preparing for its future.’
The 380-foot tower would be by far the tallest building in the Maine city, and will be mixed-use building including more than 70 residential units, an 88-room hotel and a restaurant
The harbor in Portland, Maine
Critics said that Portland is in more pressing need of affordable housing and questioned whether the tower should be a priority over cheaper projects.
To counteract the pushback, the developers are reportedly planning to pay about $3.3 million into the city’s Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund to go toward affordable housing units.
The Daily Mail has contacted East Brown Cow Management LLC for comment.
