Briefs
Written and compiled by Chris Busby, except as noted
September 30, 2008
Olympia zoning request in limbo
The Olympia Companies has apparently decided to amend its request for
zoning changes related to its development proposal for the Maine State
Pier.
City communications director Nicole Clegg said today that Olympia has
told Portland officials they intend to submit a revised application at
some unspecified future date. "We don't know how or what [will
be revised] at this point," said Clegg.
Reached for comment last week, Olympia spokesman Sasha Cook denied a rumor
Olympia was pulling its application entirely or had asked city planning
staff not to process the application they submitted Sept. 11. Cook said
the development team merely indicated to city officials that they would
be traveling in the coming week and needed an opportunity to reconvene
and further discuss the matter.
As The Bollard reported Sept. 17, at least one key councilor,
John Anton — a member of the team leading negotiations with Olympia
— is opposed to making the kind of sweeping zoning changes Olympia
says it needs in order to build its $100 million mega-project on the waterfront.
[See "Olympia
asks council to rewrite pier zoning," in News.]
Closed-door negotiations between the city and Olympia on the entire development
deal are ongoing.
September 17, 2008
Soon to be another link: the facade of the former Whole Grocer in Bayside.
(photo/Chris Busby)
Walgreens eyes Bayside
Preliminary plans have been submitted to the city by a developer who intends
to bring Portland's first Walgreens drug store to town, in the building
on Marginal Way formerly occupied by The Whole Grocer.
Developer Peter Quesada of Back Cove Co., who owns or has developed a
host of properties in town, submitted documents that outline plans to
expand the Whole Grocer space by 3,000 square feet in order to meet Walgreens'
needs. The building, located on the corner of Marginal Way and the newly
extended Chestnut Street in Bayside, has been empty since Whole Foods
bought and closed the homegrown health food store in the winter of 2006.
The Walgreens mega-chain operates over 6,000 stores in the United States,
but has thus far failed to penetrate the greater Portland market. The
latest phone book lists just one location, in Windham.
An opening date has not yet been determined.
August 30, 2008
Portland School Committee member Lori Gramlich. (photo/courtesy Gramlich)
Gramlich out after all
Looks like there could be two Portland School Committee seats without
candidates on the ballot this fall. Incumbent school board member Lori
Gramlich has withdrawn her name from consideration in District 4 (East
Deering), citing recent medical issues.
As The Bollard reported Thursday, it's also likely there'll be
no candidate on the ballot for the District 5 school board seat (representing
Riverton, Deering and North Deering). The only person to take out nomination
papers for that seat, Leslie Minton, is expected not to run due to work
commitments. Minton did not return a call seeking comment. [See "Free
ride for Leeman and Gramlich?" Aug. 28, in News.]
City attorney Gary Wood has said that in the event no candidate's name
is on the ballot, the write-in candidate with the most votes would win.
The prospect of two school board races with no candidates may be unprecedented
in Portland's history. It certainly hasn't happened in recent memory.
Gramlich, who is finishing her first three-year term on the board, said
the decision to withdraw was "really hard."
"When it came down to it, I had to make a decision to take care of
myself and my family," she said.
Gramlich had spoken to Liz Holton, one of two candidates seeking an at-large
seat on the board this year, about switching to the District 4 race, but
Holton said today she decided not to make that switch.
Holton added that there's been an effort to find a last-minute replacement
candidate in District 4, and talk of a concerted push on Tuesday to get
signatures for that candidate (should one agree to run) before the city
clerk's office closes that day — Sept. 2 is the deadline for turning
in signatures. A candidate would need the signatures of 75 registered
Portland voters to get on the ballot in that race, a task Holton said
would be "difficult" to pull off in less than a day.
August 8, 2008
The plane tail that made Popeye's Icehouse a landmark for decades. (Bollard
file photo)
Icehouse eyed for Mexican eatery
The Icehouse, formerly Popeye's Icehouse, will likely be sold to a pair
of investors who hope to turn the West End neighborhood bar into a Mexican
restaurant.
Tod Dana, owner of the high-end furniture store Asia West, and Alex Fisher,
founder and head of the pet-supply company Planet Dog, plan to buy the
York Street establishment from owner Bernie Orne, who ran the tavern for
years before complaints from neighbors led to the loss of the Icehouse's
liquor license and its closure earlier this summer. Dana and Fisher previously
invested in Portland Lobster Co., a restaurant on Commercial Street, and
Fisher is a financial partner in other Portland restaurants, including
The Grill Room, on Exchange Street. The pair have brought Norine Kotts
and Cheryl Lewis — the original owners of West End specialty foods
shop Aurora Provisions — on board to operate the restaurant.
[Disclosure: This reporter worked for Kotts and, by extension, Dana and
Fisher, at Portland Lobster Co. for several months in 2003.]
Last night, the Portland Zoning Board of Appeals approved the team's request
to waive a requirement that the eatery have seven dedicated off-street
parking spaces. Dana said he was unable to find a lot nearby where the
spaces could be leased, and using part of the Icehouse property for parking
would result in too little financial return for the business. The investors
plan to turn the Icehouse's patio area into enclosed space for dining.
Several residents spoke in favor of the zoning waiver, urging the board
to grant the request on the belief that the Mexican restaurant will be
a better neighbor than the Icehouse was. However, one neighbor, noting
that the restaurant will serve liquor, questioned whether the change of
use will really make a difference. The same neighbor, Steve Oliver, also
said he was concerned the restaurant's patrons will make it more difficult
to find on-street parking in the area.
A second zoning appeal is still pending, but Dana told the board he and
Fisher will more forward to acquire the property now that they've been
granted the parking waiver. The Icehouse property, which has expansive
views of Portland Harbor, is listed with a local realtor for just under
$450,000. The investors are expected to spend a good chunk of change beyond
the purchase price to renovate the building and add the addition on the
patio.
Dana did not return a call seeking comment. Orne could not be reached
for comment.
August 5, 2008
Waterview project all but dead
Nothing short of a "miracle" will save the Waterview at Bayside
condominium tower project in Bayside, an attorney for developer Jeffrey
Cohen told the Portland City Council last night.
The attorney, former Portland City Councilor and Mayor Nathan Smith, said
he expects the undeveloped lot will be sold at auction in September. The
Council voted last night to extend zoning and site plan approvals for
the property for one year in hopes a buyer at the auction will pursue
a project similar to Cohen's original plan, which envisioned a 12-story
building with over 90 housing units.
Cohen's effort to build the tower fizzled after the owner of neighboring
Back Bay Tower challenged the city's approval of the project in a series
of lengthy court battles. By the time the legal tussles were resolved
in Cohen's favor, the economy and the local market for new condos had
taken a significant downturn.
As recently as last spring, Cohen was still trying to find a way to make
the Waterview a reality [see "Bayside condo tower not dead yet,"
April 16, in Briefs], but it appears all remaining options have closed.
Cohen could not be reached for comment this morning.
July 30, 2008
Stone Coast going stone cold
Industry sources tell The Bollard that Portland-based Stone Coast
Brewing Company has ceased production of its beers for retail sale. Stone
Coast beers will still be brewed and available at the business' Sunday
River Brewing Co. pub in Bethel, the sources said.
A message left at the brewery's Portland office was not immediately returned,
and founder Grant Wilson could not be reached for comment.
Stone Coast built a brew pub on York Street, just outside the Old Port,
in the mid-1990s, and operated that business as a music venue/brewery/restaurant
for several years. In 2003, according to the company's Web site, Stone
Coast built a production facility off the peninsula, and added a beer-canning
machine a year later.
Among the brews Stone Coast made are 420 IPA, Sunday River Alt, Black
Bear Porter, Knuckleball Bock and Sunsplash Golden Ale.
July 17, 2008
School board chairman John Coyne. (photo/courtesy Coyne)
Cohen out; Coyne in?
Portland City Councilor Jim Cohen confirmed today that he will not seek
a third term. Portland School Committee chairman John Coyne will run for
Cohen's District 5 seat (representing North Deering, Deering Center and
Riverton), Cohen said. Coyne did not return a call seeking comment.
Also in the District 5 Council race is Naomi Mermin, a consultant whose
civic work includes involvement in the Deering Center Neighborhood Association
and the committee formed to oversee construction of a new elementary school
on Ocean Avenue. Mermin, a registered Democrat, is "smart, practical
and positive," said Councilor John Anton, a supporter of her campaign
(and registered Green).
In other local election news, school board member Lori Gramlich said she
intends to seek a second term this year representing District 4 (East
Deering). And former school board member "Zen" Ben Meiklejohn
is gunning to get back on the ballot – he's taken out nomination
papers to run for a seat on the Portland Water District's board of trustees.
Fellow Green Zachary Nixon has also pulled papers to join that race.
"I have made the difficult decision that the right thing to do is
step down," said Cohen. He said work and family commitments –
including the fact his wife is running for a state House seat –
were factors in his decision. Cohen intends to support Coyne's candidacy.
July 14, 2008
The final cut? Portland City Councilor Jim Cohen. (Bollard file
photo)
CORRECTION: The original post of this item incorrectly
stated that Dory Waxman has never run for public office. In fact, she
formerly served on the Portland School Committee. We regret the error.
– Ed.
Curtains for Cohen?
Portland City Councilor Jim Cohen said he's still deciding whether or
not he'll run for a third three-year term this November. The former mayor
and current chairman of the Council's influential Finance Committee said
he plans to announce his decision in the next couple weeks.
Cohen is a partner and top lobbyist with the Portland law firm Verrill
Dana. He's also a classic-rock guitarist and Eric Clapton fan [read
our 2005 interview with Cohen here]. His wife, Joan Cohen, is
running for the state House seat being vacated by Democrat John Brautigam,
who hopes to become Maine's next attorney general. Cohen, a Democrat,
faces Republican Jeffrey Martin in the race for District 113, which includes
North Deering and part of Falmouth.
Councilor Cohen did not cite any specific reason for his hesitation to
commit, but political colleagues and observers privately speculate that
running simultaneous campaigns for city and state office (not to mention
holding those offices for several years) might be a daunting prospect
for the Cohens, who have two young sons.
No other candidates have yet stepped forward to run for the District 5
Council seat Cohen holds, though nomination papers have only been available
for a week, and prospective candidates have several more weeks to take
out papers and gather signatures to get on the ballot.
Portland City Councilor Cheryl Leeman is also up for reelection this year.
The East Deering district councilor, who's served as mayor twice, said
she intends to seek a ninth term. No challenger has yet stepped up in
that race, either.
Mayor Ed Suslovic has two challengers already for his at-large seat (representing
the entire city). One is Democratic political activist and community organizer
Dory Waxman. The other is former League (formerly League of Pissed Off
Voters) activist Tina Smith. Suslovic, a former state legislator, is seeking
a second council term. Smith has never run for public office before. Waxman
is a former member of the Portland School Committee.
July 7, 2008
County eyes building near jail
Having abandoned plans to rent space in a proposed downtown Portland skyscraper,
Cumberland County officials are now considering humbler digs to meet their
office and storage needs – a former lobster warehouse on outer Congress
Street.
Assistant County Manager Bill Whitten said the county has signed a letter
of intent to lease, with an option to buy, the former home of Royal Lobster
Co., a 9,500-square-foot building not far from the Cumberland County Jail.
Negotiations are still taking place, but a decision is expected by the
end of this summer.
County officials had previously tried to work with brothers Joe and Greg
Boulos of CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Co. to facilitate construction of
a 12-story building next to the Cumberland County courthouse on Federal
Street. Those plans fell through when the Boulos brothers were unable
to secure an anchor tenant for the office building, though the project
would have faced other challenges related to zoning and property rights.
[See "County tables skyscraper plans," March 24, 2008, in Briefs,
below.]
Whitten said renting space in the skyscraper would have cost the county
upwards of $1.5 million. The Royal Lobster Co. building is for sale for
about $1 million less, though the need to upgrade the property will entail
additional spending.
"Right now, we don't know what we'd actually do with it," Whitten
said of the property. He said the county needs more office space and more
storage space – for example, some jail records must be kept, in
paper form, for 20 years. "We have a lot of needs to solve, but don't
know which we'll resolve" at this point, said Whitten.
June 17, 2008
All decked out: Diners at The Porthole. (photo/Dan Zarin)
Porthole/Comedy Connection survives license challenge
Oliver Keithly, owner of The Porthole and The Comedy Connection on Custom
House Wharf, survived another zoning challenge early this morning when
the Portland City Council voted not to limit food service, alcohol consumption
and entertainment at his waterfront restaurant and comedy club. The vote
was unanimous.
City legal staff had recommended that councilors severely limit food and
alcohol service – and prohibit entertainment – on the businesses'
adjoining outdoor decks, due to waterfront zoning restrictions. Keithly
and his attorney, former Councilor and Mayor Jim Cloutier, argued that
the establishments are grandfathered under the law because those uses
existed prior to zoning changes mandated by a citizen referendum in the
late 1980s.
City attorneys suggested the decks' capacity be limited to 40 people.
The decks are currently licensed to handle up to 250 customers. Keithly
said the restrictions would have doomed both businesses, and he marshaled
a small army of supporters to plead his case. The group of about 20 men,
women and children marched up Exchange Street carrying signs and sporting
t-shirts supporting the businesses, and many stayed to testify five hours
later when the item was finally addressed.
The agreement setting the decks' capacity at 250 was said to be the result
of a handshake deal eight years ago between Keithly and then-City Manager
Bob Ganley. At the time, renovation work on the decks had sparked a similar
debate about zoning restrictions that threatened the businesses' viability.
June 5, 2008
Bar dispersal law may be repealed
The city ordinance passed last year that limits the places in downtown
Portland and the Old Port where establishments can serve alcohol and offer
live entertainment may be repealed this summer. City Councilor Dave Marshall,
chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said his committee will discuss
an order he's submitted to nix the zoning requirement at its meeting next
Tuesday, June 10.
The law prohibits new bars and restaurants from offering music if they
are located within 100 feet of another drinking establishment that also
offers live entertainment. Commercial spaces where booze and music were
previously offered are grandfathered under the law – which is why,
for example, a new bar and dance club set to open in the former location
of Digger's/Liquid Blue, on Fore Street, was granted liquor and entertainment
licenses earlier this year. [See "'Footloose'
in Portland," April 5, 2007, in News.]
The law has made a host of locations in the Old Port and Arts District
off-limits to new bars and restaurants that could potentially host the
performing arts. Marshall said at least one business owner has been denied
the opportunity to host music due to the law, though he could not recall
which establishment was affected.
The dispersal ordinance, as it's called, "has only caused confusion,"
said Marshall. "It hasn't done anything to improve public safety….
This ordinance seeks to prohibit entertainment in the Old Port and the
Arts District when we should really be focusing on good management practices
of bars."
Jan Beitzer, executive director of Portland's Downtown District –
the quasi-municipal organization that promotes and helps maintain downtown
Portland – was shocked to hear of Marshall's move to kill the law.
"I was stunned that he would do that without even having the courtesy
to contact me," she said. "He knows that it effects PDD directly
and he's on the PDD board. It would have been nice if he'd given us the
courtesy of a heads-up."
Marshall said he followed the same procedure councilors always do when
they want to introduce an ordinance. A majority of his three-member committee
is expected to vote to forward the repeal order to the full council (fellow
committee member Kevin Donoghue opposed the dispersal requirement last
year and favors repeal). Marshall is fairly confident a majority of the
full council will vote to strike the law from the books.
Beitzer said the dispersal ordinance has helped keep Congress Street from
experiencing the problems that have plagued Wharf Street – rowdy
crowds from different bars and nightclubs gathering late at night and
causing fights and other disturbances.
"PDD believes the dispersal rule has been working," she said.
"This comes under the heading: don't try to fix something that's
not broken."
[Full disclosure: The Bollard has previously editorialized against
the dispersal ordinance; see "The
Flogging Song," April 19, 2007, in Views.]
May 16, 2008
Portland Police Chief Tim Burton during the city council vote to give
him the top job in November 2005. (photo/Chris Busby)
Chief Burton seeking job in Texas
The Bollard has learned that Portland Police Chief Tim Burton
has applied to be the top cop in the city of Odessa, Texas. Portland officials
are expected to announce that Burton is a finalist for the post later
today.
Burton's secretary said he will not be available for comment today, and
city spokesperson Nicole Clegg was not immediately available for comment.
In a communication to city councilors from Portland City Manager Joe Gray,
Gray said Burton had informed him about three weeks ago that he and his
wife were interested in relocating to the southwest. Gray went on to say
that Burton has not committed to accepting a job offer in Odessa, but
is considered a strong contender for the police chief position by city
officials there, some of whom will be traveling to Portland next week
to talk with Gray, Mayor Ed Suslovic, police and community leaders about
Burton.
The west Texas oil city of Odessa has a population of about 98,000. City
officials there were not immediately available to confirm Burton's candidacy
for the job.
Burton was chosen to lead Portland's department in November 2005, after
a contentious selection process. Some community members, and a sizeable
group of rank-and-file officers, preferred an African-American candidate,
Anthony Holloway, a police captain in Clearwater, Florida. [See "Acting
chief named chief," Nov. 8, 2005, in Briefs.]
Burton served as deputy chief under Mike Chitwood before assuming the
top job here. Now in his late 40s, Burton has over 25 years of experience
with Portland's department.
May 15, 2008
Reiche branch likely to survive
It seems almost certain that the Portland Public Library's branch location
at Reiche Elementary School will remain open – at least for another
year. [See May 8 Briefs item below for more background.]
Following heavy lobbying by neighbors in the West End and hard questioning
by city councilors, library officials now say the branch can be spared
the ax if the council agrees to provide $30,000 in additional funding
for the coming fiscal year. The additional money – which would come
from the city's contingency fund – would bring the city's contribution
to the library back up to the level of funding it provided last year.
However, even with that cash, the main library in Monument Square would
still be closed on Mondays.
At least four councilors have voiced support for the expenditure (John
Anton, Dave Marshall, Kevin Donoghue and Cheryl Leeman). If one other
councilor supports the spending, the measure will pass at next Monday
night's council meeting.
Should the library get the extra dough, its board and administrators are
expected to study the library system in the coming year with an eye toward
determining what level of financial support is necessary to sustain current
operations.
Very last call?: Inside The Icehouse. (photo/The Fuge)
The Icehouse, closed, keeps fighting
The epic battle between Popeye and Bluto was nothing compared to the ongoing
struggle between The Icehouse (formerly Popeye's Icehouse) and City Hall.
In the latest, and perhaps last round, the West End bar closed May 8,
but its attorney and owner are continuing to file legal motions in hopes
of reviving the business.
Complaints from neighbors, who say Icehouse patrons disrupt the neighborhood,
have prompted a series of actions by the city over the past decade to
limit the bar's hours, restrict use of its patio, and, last year, strip
the establishment of its food license – an unprecedented administrative
move that undermines the bar's ability to get a liquor license.
Owner Bernie Orne said his attorney, David Turesky, has requested a hearing
on the food-service license issue. City attorney Gary Wood said the city
is still preparing its response to this latest legal salvo, which includes
a request for copious amounts of documents. Orne said state liquor-control
officials are willing to grant The Icehouse a license if and when the
food-service matter is resolved.
Meanwhile, the Icehouse property is for sale. A listing with Waterglen
realty offers the bar and a small home on the site for $449,900.
May 8, 2008
Library director defends Reiche closure
In an interview yesterday, Portland Public Library Executive Director
Steve Podgajny described the budget squeeze the library system is experiencing
and held out some hope the Reiche Elementary School branch will continue
to serve the West End in some way, shape or form.
Podgajny said the library originally sought a funding increase of $175,000
over its current budget for this coming fiscal year. That level of funding
would have allowed the library to fulfill contract requests from its workforce
and vendors. Accordingly, when City Manager Joe Gray suggested a $50,000
cut in city funding for the library, administrators found themselves facing
a $225,000 shortfall, Podgajny said.
Library officials had planned to save $175,000 through "service changes"
that would have eliminated the equivalent of five full-time positions
at the main library in Monument Square. "Then, when the additional
$50,000 came into play, we had nowhere to look," Podgajny recalled.
That's when Reiche was put on the chopping block.
The branch's fate is still unclear. City councilors had a host of questions
and information requests for Podgajny at last Monday night's council meeting,
and the issue is expected to be discussed at the council's budget workshop
session next Monday, May 12. A public meeting of the library's board of
trustees also takes place next week, and the budget is expected to be
a central topic of conversation.
Portland Mayor Ed Suslovic, who serves on the library board, said it's
uncertain at this point how the board will decide to handle funding for
the Reiche branch and a proposal to close the main library on Mondays.
Other branches may have their hours adjusted later this year, though none
are facing a decrease in hours of operation. Podgajny said administrators
are working to keep branch locations open after 5 p.m. on more days of
the week.
The Munjoy branch, located in the East End Community School on North Street,
is slated to have its hours doubled, to 40 a week. The increase is part
of a reorganization that would move most children's materials and teen
programs to the Munjoy branch for two years, while the main library is
being renovated.
Contrary to implications in a Portland Press Herald article about
the reorganization, published yesterday, Podgajny said the Munjoy branch
is not in danger of closing after that two-year period is over. Following
the renovations, the Munjoy branch will return to a "traditional
branch profile," he said.
At last Monday's council meeting, Podgajny told The Bollard the
Reiche branch's proximity to the main library and relatively low circulation
numbers made it the most logical candidate for closure. He added that
it's regrettable the branch can't be kept open, but said library officials
are working with neighborhood groups in the West End to seek ways the
branch's teen-and child-centric programs and amenities can continue to
be offered.
During yesterday's interview, Podgajny mentioned the possibility the library
could supply computers and other materials "to try to fashion some
kind of experience for the neighborhood that tries to address the magical
things that happen at the Reiche branch."
Briefs
from January through April, 2008
Briefs
from November and December, 2007
Briefs
from September and October, 2007
Briefs
from July and August, 2007
Briefs
from May and June, 2007
Briefs
from March and April, 2007
Briefs
from January and February, 2007
Briefs
from November and December, 2006
Briefs
from September and October, 2006
Briefs
from July and August, 2006
Briefs
from May and June, 2006
Briefs
from March and April, 2006
Briefs
from January and February, 2006
