Portland Square

Portland Square

The site for this proposed development occupies two city blocks in the heart of downtown Portland positioned at the western edge of the Fore Street Old Port neighborhood and abutting the Commercial Street Historic District. The site context also contains a variety of building scales. Fore Street to the east is the heart of the Old Port with its rich historic fabric and pedestrian centered streets. To the north is downtown business district with its larger more contemporary structures such as 1 & 2 Portland Square, Canal Plaza, and the Civic Center. To the west, the fabric begins to transition to a less dense mix of residential and commercial buildings. To the south, the Commercial Street corridor with its mix of water-based industries along the piers combines with vibrant commercial mixed-use structures.

This project offers an opportunity to bridge these varied built environments, “fill in” a significant hole in the urban fabric, and enhance/ extend the pedestrian environment present in the Old Port and the Commercial Street Corridor. The development of a pedestrian street into the site is at the heart of the design concept, and as an extension of Cotton Street, it provides a linkage between the Commercial Street Corridor, the Old Port, and the Downtown Business District.

The mixed use development will include over 500,000 s.f. of office space, 50,000 s.f. of retail, 76 apartment units and a 135 room hotel. Structured parking for1,300 cars and extensive outdoor pedestrian oriented spaces are also envisioned.