Articles
Renting Upstairs: On Portland’s piers, non-marine tenants help pay the bills
Professionals who choose to rent space on Portland’s waterfront find their workplace unique — a place to be savored not only for its view, but its gritty reality. No Starbucks downstairs. Dead fish, yes; gourmet coffee, no. Last Aug. 1, when Peter Leopold, Ph.D., owner of BioAnalyte, a high-tech software company specializing in biomarker discovery
Oyster growers balance safety, cash flow as they contemplate holiday demand
The demand for Maine oysters runs high during the holiday season — served raw at cocktail parties or chopped into turkey stuffing, whatever the recipe, the festivities translate into brisk business for oyster farmers. Brisk indeed — it’s cold this time of year. Winter harvesting depends not only on the seasonal hazards of differing sites,
Shouting into the Fog
Islandport Press, 2006 Soft cover, 305 pages, $15.95 Bringing the Depression to Life Thomas Hanna painstakingly pieces together the memories of his Depression-era childhood in a new book entitled Shoutin’ Into The Fog: Growing Up on Maine’s Ragged Edge. Set in the village of Five Islands in Georgetown, five miles downriver from Bath, Hanna writes
Marketing brings the big boats, along with a few concerns
Different ports for different passengers — in the competitive cruise ship business, Bar Harbor and Portland both enjoy increasing popularity these days, but each port is seeking different markets. Portland, with its Ocean Gateway terminal in the making, welcomes passengers with a “more the merrier,” mega-ship mentality. On the other hand, explains Brian Nutter, executive
Real estate slowdown affects Portland waterfront project
What Portland truly hopes to avoid at the city-owned Maine State Pier is a nasty real estate experience called, quite astutely, “the runaround.” Development projects go belly up when developers, in an effort to win favor, offer unrealistic deals. Then, when these overly enthusiastic developers actually prevail, the reality of financial investment inspires a more
Jordan’s project on hold
Plans to build a Westin hotel/condominium complex in Portland’s Eastern Waterfront have been put on hold, and the Procaccianti Group has decided to put its investment there up for sale. The initial project, slated for groundbreaking last summer, involved tearing down the long-closed Jordan’s Meats, replacing it with a $110 million development encompassing a 223-room
Clashing Visions How will Portland pay to fix its pier’s pilings?
As the eastern waterfront braces for Portland’s brave new world of development, Maine State Pier finds itself at the center of some controversy. Construction on Ocean Gateway, the city’s new cruise ship terminal, is underway, but so is discussion on the Portland City Council’s proposed zoning changes on this Portland-owned pier. More than 600 of
Doing the Right Thing The pain of posting a polluted beach in summer
At first glance, Kennebunkport’s Goose Rocks Beach looks as perfect as a postcard. Gentle waves lap peacefully along three miles of fine silver-white sand. At one of southern Maine’s most secluded stretch of beach, the tastefully chic houses continue to rent upwards of $5,000 a week during this summer’s peak season. No amusement parks or
Curious about the waterfront? Take a tour!
As a private tour guide in Portland, Angela Clark’s one-woman Working Waterfront Tours promise behind-the-scenes glimpses of Portland’s marine-dependent businesses. On a hot summer’s morning, the dead fish and live lobsters were definitely the highlights of a one-hour tour for 14 campers, ages 5 to 12, from the Portland Center for Cultural Exchange. While every
FLYING HIGH Penobscot Island Air thrives in a difficult environment
As time flies, so grows the story of Penobscot Island Air. Only two years ago last dead of winter, the tale of this feisty new airline began with more chutzpah than capital, more spirit than spreadsheet. Kevin Waters, the former manager of Maine Atlantic Aviation, put up his home and 401K plan as collateral, qualifying