Opponents of the Sale of Congress Square Plaza to Rockbridge Recently at the Plaza.

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,504)

The City has just announced that the City Council will hold a public hearing meeting to review and vote on a proposal to sell a portion of Congress Square Plaza to RP Portland Building, LLC for the construction of an event center for the Westin Harbor View Hotel (f/k/a The Eastland Hotel in the arts district in downtown Portland.  The public hearing comes before the regular City Council meeting votes on the matter on September 9th.

Last night at a meeting, a committee voted 3 – 1 to forward on to the City Council its favorable recommendation for the approval of the contract negotiated between Greg Mitchell, Director, Economic Office Director for Portland, and the developer.  Several opponents of the proposal complained about the lack of adequate notice that public testimony would be taken at the meeting. Perhaps in an effort to compensate for that failure, the city released this information.

The meeting will be held on Monday, September 9, 2013, at 7 pm in city council chambers, 2nd floor, at the city hall.  The Portland City Council has the final decision-making authority over this matter.  For more information, please e-mail lin@portlandmaine.gov