There Was Lots of Kitten Therapy Yesterday at Congress Sq. Park. It’s An Annual Event Hosted by the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, Westbrook.

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,531)

Responding to harsh criticism from neighbors of 30 Merrill Street last month at a required neighborhood meeting,  Architect Evan Carroll, Bild Architects, has submitted to the city a revised site plan for the city’s consideration next month.

On August 14, 2016, architect Carroll presented plans for a seven (7) unit condominium development at 30 Merrill Street on Munjoy Hill. Parking for six (6) cars is proposed – all behind the building. Neighbors who attended  harshly criticised  plans recommending Carroll start all over again because his proposal was an “embarrassment” to the neighborhood.  Carroll promised to revise his plans.

Carroll has made seven (7) changes to his original site plan.  They are intended to reduce the “over-all appearance of size and make the massing of the building symmetrical,” according to his announcement.

The changes include, but are not limited to, changing the siding from “steam seam material” to “wide exposure clapboards” to be more contextual and  the side windows have been enlarged for more of a presence on the side elevation.

The site plan review is expected to be on the agenda for the Wednesday,  October 12th meeting planning board meeting.  the time is 8:00 pm  The public is invited to attend and make public comment. .

Carroll, a resident of East Bayside is the architect for 65 Munjoy Street that is being developed by Adams Apple LLC.  Six neighbors sued Peter Bass and Ethan B. Macomber for poor design of that building.   The lawsuit was settled out of court.  In exchange for withdrawing the lawsuit. Developers Bass and Macomber had to make numerous changes to the plans to satisfy the terms laid out by the plaintiffs.  Those changes helped to improve the quality of the overall design and included but were not limited to enlarging the size of windows and upgrading some of the exterior of the building.  The comparisons of the two buildings – before and after – are eerily similar.

Portland native Mike Boissonneau is the developer of the property.  Nell Donaldson, is the city staff person for the development.

For more background information on the matter, please visit post # 2,688, dated August 15, 2016 hereon.