Kevin Bunker, partner, in the five year old DevelopersCollaborative

Proposed 25 Unit Condominiums to Front on Franklin Street

“Condominiums are best to build here and that’s what we are proposing,” said Kevin Bunker, DevelopersCollaborative, said of the current plans to develop the properties owned by millionaire businessman S. Donald Sussman. (He’s also married to US Representative Chellie Pingree and a majority stockholder in The Portland Press Herald.) Bunker was talking to members of the India Street Neighborhood Association at its monthly meeting last night.

Bunker said he has been working closely with Tom Federle, Sussman’s representative in the proposed development. An application for rezoning will be submitted soon and following that there will need to be site plan approval by the city’s planning board. If all goes as anticipated, city council approval could come in August with construction starting in September. And completion of the development could come in the spring of 2013.

Because of the anticipated changes to come to the Franklin Street corridor through the work of Markos Miller and the Franklin Street Study Group, it was decided that the 25 condominium units would front on Franklin Street – not on Hampshire Street. So far, there is underground parking for 24 of the 25 units. Although the original idea, included art studios to be incorporated in the development, it does not appear that these 25 units will include them. Bunker has met with a few city councilor members, including Kevin Donoghue, and they support the project as proposed so far.

First on the agenda at the meeting, Mayor Michael Brennan outlined some of the work he has done and will be announced in the near future: The Mayor described the city’s restructuring its committees so there are now four members of each committee rather than three. Next Wednesday at a press conference, the city will announce two new programs that place emphasis on the business community and an effort to correct problems therein. United Way of Portland will be announcing a new program to help with social concerns in the City as well.

Hugh Nazor of the Association told the Mayor that this neighborhood has no comprehensive vision or plan for our future. Allison Brown, president, said: “We were totally ignored for a long time. And we didn’t like that.” Joe Malone, who was the organizer behind the Association and owns property in the area said: “We have different issues from Munjoy Hill. The city needs to pay attention to us. We are nothing like any other neighborhood. We need to get on the city’s radar.” The Association members were encouraged to develop their own comprehensive plan to submit to the city.

One woman told the Mayor she felt “uncomfortable” passing by Milestones on India Street. Mayor Brennan, LCSW, told her that in the future that facility could become more of an “out patient” treatment facility than it currently is.

Bill Needleman, city senior planner, said that his office is currently very busy. “We like it like that.”

For more background information on the Hampshire Street Development, please visit Post # 1,080, dated 2/8/12.

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Co-owners of Haberdashery Resale Heather Sheldon and Jenny Davis

229 Congress Street to House Two Businesses Soon

Heather and Sheldon Ashby live on the Eastern Promenade and soon they will be sharing a store front at 229 Congress Street, a building that the couple own as well.

Heather and a business partner, Jenny Davis, will run Haberdashery Resale. The smaller space will be the office for Sheldon’s business – Ashby Realty – which specializes in multi-family buildngs.

Although the “for lease” sign remains in the window of the Congress Street property within a week or two, Heather and Jenny expect to replace it with a new one announcing Haberdashery Resale; an upscale mens and womens used clothing store with a different twist. The two women will buy the items outright from the seller rather than wait to reimburse them upon the sale of the items. Some of the labels the store will sell include: Pendleton, J. Crew, Ann Taylor Ralph Lauren and Forever XX1. All of these items will be sold at reasonable prices, said Jenny in a telephone conversation last night. Women’s shoes and bags will be a significant part of the inventory as well. Formerly, Portland Fiber was in this location.

A smaller percentage of the total inventory will be created by local artists according to Jenny. She’s been talking to many of them and has agreed to sell earrings by Emily Phillips and cashmere baby clothes by Nikaline Iacono. The two women intend to participate eventually in the First Friday Art Walk; however, not initially.

Adjustments may be made as summer approaches, but tentatively the store will be open Tuesday – Sunday and closed on Monday. Hours are from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. A website is under construction.

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A Sniper Atop the Public Market Parking Garage

Police Chief Michael Sauschuck Briefs the Press

19 Cedar Street Following the Standoff

Just before 5:30 pm this afternoon the Portland Swat Team removed a man from 19 Cedar Street on the East End and took him into custody. He’d been hold up in the mustard color house since this morning after shooting a woman passing by the house outside. At 5:00 pm, Police began shooting off cannisters of tear gas which could be heard all over the neighborhood; a total of 6 were shot off.

Police Chief Michael Sauschuck briefed the press on Cumberland Avenue at 4:40 pm. The police department received a phone call at 11:05 am saying that a woman had been shot and was “bleeding heavily.” He did not know of the relationship between the woman and the alleged shooter in the house. At that time, Sauschuck said police were “having a conversation with a gentleman involved in the shooting.” Police had closed off an extensive perimeter around the 19 Cedar Street location.

It appears that the woman was shot by a pellet gun which could be part of a rifle. She will survive. There were reports that she was shot about 10:20 am. Residents in the immediate area were evacuated from their homes while there was a lockdown at Portland High School and the Salvation Army. Students were at PHS taking SAT tests, but were released from the back door into the back yard where they participated in a planned barbeque.

At 5:30, police removed the yellow tapes and traffic returned to normal. Shortly after that, residents of the 19 Cedar Street house began returning to the building and the street was opened up to traffic.

editor’s note: Due to an unexpected power loss, earlier this week, MHN.com lost two articles which has not been retrievable. One was on the latest on the development of the former Adams School and the other on the training session sponsored by the Harbor Commission for waterfront captains.

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City manager Mark Rees Thanks Patrons as PSO Director Robert Moody Listens

The 4th of July fireworks will be launched from a barge in Casco Bay said Jack Quirk, President of Quirk Cheverolet, at a brief press conference this morning at the Cumberland Club, Portland. Quirk is one of the founders of the Stars and Stripes Spectacular which for the last two years has seriously ramped up the city’s annual Fourth of July Fireworks on the Eastern Promenade on the Hill.

The Fore River Dock & Dredge Company has donated a barge from which the fireworks will be launched. The barge will be located about 200′ feet off the Eastern Promenade, near Pomeroy Rock in Casco Bay for the annual spectacular. Traditionally, they have been launched from East End Beach. The City’s fire department, police department, the US Coast Guard and Portland Tugs have all been working together to insure that this will be a safe event for all. Robert Moody, director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra said the Orchestra will play all the great music of the day. This year the 60-voice Magic of Christmas chorus will be added to the program replacing soloists of past years. The concert will begin about 7:40 pm and continue through the finale of the fireworks display over Casco Bay.

City manager Mark Rees said he’s looking forward to seeing his first fireworks on the Eastern Promenade since he has been on the job for less than a year. He thanked all the parties involved for making this come true. According to Jon Jennings, last year there were between 60,000 and 80,000 who attended the Fireworks. Launching them from a barge will open up the area much more and allow many more people to enjoy the spectacular. The group is working with two area charities to hopefully add a fun charitable event during the day.

But this is not the first time that fireworks have been launched from a barge in Casco Bay. It used to be a tradition until about 17 years ago, when there was an accident on the barge. “Something misfired or there was a malfunction of some kind”, said Troy Daigle, a former city employee for the Department of Public Services. He was in the crowd that night setting up barriers and cleaning up after the event was over. Early into the fireworks show, they all went sort of crazy. People panicked. No one in the audience was hurt.

“This event has become a passion for all of us. We want to make it better and better each year,” said Jon Jennings at the press conference.

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