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Nitin Nohria, Dean, Harvard Business School: "We were proud to have Nate as a student. We will honor him at graduation someway."

Hearse Taking Bihlmaier's Body from the Waterfront to Augusta

The body of missing Harvard Business School student, Nate Bihlmaier, 31, was found at 11:45 am at the bottom of the harbor just off Custom House Wharf said Chief Michael Sauschuck, at a press conference at 1:45 pm at Buoy Park, Commercial Street – two blocks from the press conference.

Bihlmaier’s body was brought ashore at the “BIW Walk” for privacy reasons with limited public access. A hearse brought his body to Augusta while an investigation into the matter is conducted. Chief Sauschuck said there was no evidence of crime.

The Chief corrected some information given out at yesterday’s press conference. Bihlmaier was actually asked to leave RiRi Pub at 11:30 pm Saturday evening rather than later; because he was intoxicated. The last cell phone conversation between Bihlmaier and the two friends who accompanied him from Boston was at 12:15 Sunday morning. Furthermore, the article of clothing found yesterday and not publicly identified was one of the flip-flops he was wearing that night. It was found in the water not far from RiRa Pub.

Dean of the Harvard Business School, Nitin Nohira, spoke at the press conference. “It is with a heavy heart that I am here today. While our students are getting ready for graduation on Thursday, this tragedy has happened here. It is so difficult to say that he is no longer here. Resolution has been achieved in this short time. He had a new job to start soon. He was the life of the class.”

It’s believed that his young widow, Nancy, four months pregnant and his parents, are still in the area pending the outcome of the investigation.

The tragedy which is not the first of this kind in the area, begs the question from some as to whether or not bar owners should be expected to do more to ensure the safety of patrons asked to leave the premises for intoxication; particularly locations on the water. Chief Michael Sauschuck made it clear that RiRa staff acted within the law, but the question remains.

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Posters for Missing Harvard Student, Nate Bihlmaier, Posted in Old Port

“We are asking for the public’s support and assistance in locating Nate Bihlmaier,” said Police Chief Michael Sauschuck this afternoon at an impromptu press conference at Buoy Park on the waterfront. Bihlmaier, a student at Harvard Business School, was celebrating his graduation scheduled for this Thursday. He and two friends were in Portland over the weekend.

Portland Police Department divers had completed another round of dives into Casco Bay next to RiRa Pub where they failed to find any signs of Bihlmaier when the press conference was called. Yesterday afternoon divers found an article of his clothing, but would not say what it was.

Bihlmaier, 31, was at the RiRa Pub Saturday night when he was asked to leave because he was intoxicated according to Chief Sauschuck; that was about 12:20 Sunday morning. He had several phone calls with his friends while they tried to determine where he was located; he was disoriented and told them he was in “front of a building.” When he did not return to the hotel, his two friends called the police Sunday morning.

His pregnant wife, Nancy, arrived in Portland today and was assisiting in the search. His parents who live in Kansas are flying into Portland today. Brian C. Kenny, communications officer for Harvard Business School arrived in Portland this afternoon and said the entire college community is very concerned about his disappearance. Many of his friends had arrived today to assist in the search.

Around 4 pm this afternoon diver Randy Richardson resumed the search between Gilbert House and the Dry Dock on the waterfront; a search that will probably last until early evening.

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Mailbox at Center of Bomb Scare This Afternoon

Officers Returning to the Unit Truck This Afternoon (Photo by Deb Strout)

Just before 4:00 pm this afternoon, a suited-up member of the Portland Hazardeous Devices Unit walked up Market Street toward Congress Street. As he took off his helmet, a big smile broke out across his face. Those watching from Congress Street knew the bomb scare was over – with no explosion or injuries.

Portland Police Officer, Lt. Gary Rogers, briefed the few press members assembled a block from the mail box in front of the Courthouse and behind the fire department. Lt. Rogers said that around 1:00 pm., the Police Department had received a phone call from someone reporting a ticking noise coming from the mailbox at the corner. The Hazardous Devices Unit arrived on the scene. First, a robot was sent down to the box to take photos of inside the box. Next a member of the Unit suited-up, walked down to the box and returned to the unit truck about a half an hour later. From then on, officers began watching x-ray equipment of the mailbox from inside the unit truck. Tha took about half a hour. Eventually, the officer suited up again and returned to the mailbox. That was about 3:40 pm. Just before 4:00 pm, he returned to the unit truck with a big smile on his face.

Professional photographer Deb Strout, arrived on Congress Street around 3:00pm. She was trying to get to her studio in the Old Port. “I was very surprised by this. Normally there are very few business people in the area on Saturday afternoon.” Please visit www.freezeframephotography.com

Lt. Rogers said the item in the mail box turned out to be a women’s purse with a ringing cell phone inside. He speculated that it could have been stolen and dumped in the mailbox. Lt. Nine officers were involved in the three hour investigation this afternoon.

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Construction is Expected to be Completed in the Fall of 2013

Construction of Phase 2 Expected to Begin in Early September

“The footprint of this building is larger than the Hampton Inn building. That’s why we’ve made the whole building look like several smaller buildings,” said Mark Wolgrom, president of Opechee Construction at a neighborhood meeting held at the Hampton Inn last night. The proposed building sits on just over an acre, while the adjoining Hampton Inn was built on 3/4 of an acre. Most of those 15 or so attending the meeting were residents of the condominiums already atop the adjoining Hampton Inn. The meeting is required by the city’s planning board.

Greg Kirsch, VP for Opechee said the building will be five stories high, but the overall height will be slightly less than the Hampton Inn, which was finished last August. The top three floors will be dedicated to office space and condominiums with separate entrances for each on each floor. There will be six condominiums on each of three floors for a total of 18 units. They will be more expensive than the units above the Inn because they are larger with more elaborate finishings and have large and outside decks. The entrance to the units will be at 40 India Street.

The first two floors of the brick building will be dedicated to retail space and office space. While no one has yet committed to the office space, the developers are talking to one grocer who might purchase one of the retail units – with an entrance on Middle Street. Not only the condominiums are for sale, but the office space and the retail space is for sale. Sebago Brewery purchased the restaurant space at the Hampton Inn and according to Kirsch it is finding this arrangement less expensive than renting in its former Old Port location. “This is a great opportunity for a small business,” Kersch said.

One hundred seventy parking spaces will be included in Phase 2. It will be parking for the Inn, all condominium units, office and retail space. It does not include parking for the Sebago Brewery Co. Pub, however.

Concerns from the public focused mostly on disrupted traffic in the area during construction and parking for construction workers during construction. Wolgrom said that normally construction occurrs between 7 am and 3:30 pm. However, in order to accommodate hotel guests, construction might occur on weekdays from 8:30 am – 5 pm. Little, if any, Saturday construction is anticipated.

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