A proposal to build a 30-story hotel with residential and retail space in Portland's Old Port will go before the city's planning board Tuesday for the first time.
At 365 feet, the tower would be — by far — the tallest in Portland. Buildings of this height are now allowed under new zoning rules that the city approved last year.
The proposal calls for 88 hotel rooms and 73 one and two-bedroom apartments. The top two floors of the building would have a restaurant and publicly accessible observation area.
The developers, East Brown Cow Management Company, say the project will revitalize the office plaza areas near the Old Port. But some residents have already expressed concerns about the proposed height and purpose of the tower.
This is not the first time that the development group has proposed a tall building for this area near the Old Port. In 2019, developers floated the idea of a 20-story tower, but Portland's zoning rules had not yet been changed to allow for a building at that height.
To comply with Portland's inclusionary zoning requirements, the developers say they will pay a fee in lieu of offering income-restricted workforce housing, according to the project applications.
The project faces further consideration by the Portland planning board after Tuesday's workshop.
