The city of Portland has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a commercial broker to potentially market and sell up to four city-owned, vacant properties n the Bayside neighborhood  The issuance of the RFP is based on guidance received from the city council in September.  The four properties include Lot 1 at 0 Elm Street, Lot 3 at 75 Somerset Street, Lot 6 at 59 Somerset Street and Lot 7 at 25 Somerset Street (formerly known as the Midtown properties).  The city reacquired these properties after the Coouncil approved a settlement of agreement at its July 14, 2025 meeting.

The RFP stipulates that the successful respondent should expect to discuss their plan with the city concil and incorporate Council priorities into their materials.  The city is looking to achieve the highest and best use of eah site available for sale.  Any poential development proposalsd the city receives as a result of the broker’s work wil include ample future opportunities for public participation and comment before final decisions are made.

Those interested in submitting a proposal must obtain a copy of the RFP from the city of Portland Purchasing Office either via e-mail at puchasing@portlandmaine.gov or phone (207) 874-8654.  Those who do not will nodt be allowed to submit a proposal.

Sealed proposals from firms interested in providing real estate brokerage services for these four properties on behalf of the city of Portand shall be submitted electronically to:  bidssubmit@portlandmaine.gov with the Proposer, Project name and RFP number on the subject line by 3:30 pm., EST, Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at which time they will be opened and read.

This property located behind Trader’s Joe was previously the site of a proposed major housing  development by Florida real estate developer Jonathan Cox, Federated Co. Back in 2011, Mr. Cox signed a contract with the city to construct a major rental complex on 3.25 acres of blighted land on the site. The plan called for four large towers with 500 – 800 market rate rental units, a parking garage and retail space on site.  It was also located next to a section of Portland Trails that was expected to be heavily used by tenants in this complex.  Unfortunately, in 2013, Tim Paradis and Peter Monroe, founded a non-profit, KeepPortlandlivable to stop the development of projects such as this one that are “out of scale, out of character and a bad deal for Portland” according to a press release issued by the two.  Paradis also called Midtown bloated and car driven.  “It would not be accepted by any other neighborhood.  It’s a short-shorted vision and will debase the attractiveness of the area……..”  Former Portland Trails executive director Kara Wooldrich was also opposed to the massive size of one of the buildings.  In 2021, the city council voted to seize the Bayside property.   Federated countered with a lawsuit saying that Portland violated federal and state law by taking the entire plot without “just compensation.”

This Left Wing Lunatic believes that the opponents of Midtown were the ones lacking vision for Portland.  The construction of this little village unto itself would have gone a long way to reduce the lack of rental housing that exists in Portland today.

For more background information, please visit post herein dated March 15, 2024.