Councilors to hear proposal for closing portion of Gorham Road
By David Harry
Staff Writer
Close it and they will come.
That may be the defining idea behind a proposal before South Portland city councilors to close more than 800 feet of Gorham Road Extension between MacArthur Circle and Western Avenue in the Redbank area.
Councilors are expected to vote on the proposal after a public hearing Wednesday, Sept. 8, at city hall. Discontinuing the road will in part allow South Portland developer Vincent Maietta to move forward with the construction of a 34,000-square-foot shopping center called Western Avenue Crossing.
The proposed road closure plan includes the sale of about 10 acres of city-owned land at the corner of Gorham Road Extension and Western Avenue for $600,000 to V and E Enterprises, Maietta’s development company.
South Portland Assistant City Manager Erik Carson said a closing date on the sale has not been set, but he expects to complete the deal soon.
Maietta said he hopes to attract eight to 12 stores, including three restaurants, to the shopping center. He expects it to be at least partially completed and occupied by next spring. Buffalo Wild Wings, a Connecticut-based chain of sports bars, and a Subway restaurant have already leased space
When completed, Western Avenue Crossing would span each side of the former road and be adjacent to V and E Enterprises developments along Western Avenue.
Carson said a portion of the eastern end of Gorham Road Extension would remain open to allow access to two retail areas that front Western Avenue.
Site work already has started on land owned by Maietta on both sides of Gorham Road Extension. However, Carson said a small but complicated land swap with the Maine Department of Transportation also is needed to move the land sale forward. He said the swap with DOT involves easements for drainage, a possible additional lane on Western Avenue and release of a state-owned portion of Gorham Road Extension.
The cost and details of closing the road, getting needed construction permits and buying the city land have been extensive, Maietta said.
“This has been the most difficult project financially and mentally,” Maietta said, noting the permitting process has cost about $300,000. “It is not difficult to follow the rules, but it took constant work for four years.”
The triangle-shaped parcel owned by the city was taken by eminent domain proceedings in 1968 and originally was intended as a site for a fire station, according to city bid documents. Efforts to close all or portions of Gorham Road Extension date to at least 2004, when the South Portland Planning Board rejected the first proposal to close 175 feet at the Western Avenue intersection.
Maietta estimated 250 construction jobs will be created and hopes hundreds more full-time jobs will result from full occupancy of Western Avenue Crossing.
He said he would like to lure national retail chains including Radio Shack or FedEx Office/Kinko’s to the shopping center.
“It will keep about 250 people working and be a beautiful project,” Maietta said.
Staff Writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.
Staff Writer
Close it and they will come.
That may be the defining idea behind a proposal before South Portland city councilors to close more than 800 feet of Gorham Road Extension between MacArthur Circle and Western Avenue in the Redbank area.
Councilors are expected to vote on the proposal after a public hearing Wednesday, Sept. 8, at city hall. Discontinuing the road will in part allow South Portland developer Vincent Maietta to move forward with the construction of a 34,000-square-foot shopping center called Western Avenue Crossing.
The proposed road closure plan includes the sale of about 10 acres of city-owned land at the corner of Gorham Road Extension and Western Avenue for $600,000 to V and E Enterprises, Maietta’s development company.
South Portland Assistant City Manager Erik Carson said a closing date on the sale has not been set, but he expects to complete the deal soon.
Maietta said he hopes to attract eight to 12 stores, including three restaurants, to the shopping center. He expects it to be at least partially completed and occupied by next spring. Buffalo Wild Wings, a Connecticut-based chain of sports bars, and a Subway restaurant have already leased space
When completed, Western Avenue Crossing would span each side of the former road and be adjacent to V and E Enterprises developments along Western Avenue.
Carson said a portion of the eastern end of Gorham Road Extension would remain open to allow access to two retail areas that front Western Avenue.
Site work already has started on land owned by Maietta on both sides of Gorham Road Extension. However, Carson said a small but complicated land swap with the Maine Department of Transportation also is needed to move the land sale forward. He said the swap with DOT involves easements for drainage, a possible additional lane on Western Avenue and release of a state-owned portion of Gorham Road Extension.
The cost and details of closing the road, getting needed construction permits and buying the city land have been extensive, Maietta said.
“This has been the most difficult project financially and mentally,” Maietta said, noting the permitting process has cost about $300,000. “It is not difficult to follow the rules, but it took constant work for four years.”
The triangle-shaped parcel owned by the city was taken by eminent domain proceedings in 1968 and originally was intended as a site for a fire station, according to city bid documents. Efforts to close all or portions of Gorham Road Extension date to at least 2004, when the South Portland Planning Board rejected the first proposal to close 175 feet at the Western Avenue intersection.
Maietta estimated 250 construction jobs will be created and hopes hundreds more full-time jobs will result from full occupancy of Western Avenue Crossing.
He said he would like to lure national retail chains including Radio Shack or FedEx Office/Kinko’s to the shopping center.
“It will keep about 250 people working and be a beautiful project,” Maietta said.
Staff Writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.
Comments