Tim Paradis, (Far Right), Participating in a Rally Hosted by the Strident Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights Last Saturday. This commuity activist was a co-founder of KeepPortlandLivable with Peter Monro Years Ago. Rather, Portland is Not Livable Because of a Severe Shortage of Rental Housing at Affodable Rates, Not Because There is Too Much Housing.
March is Women’s History Month
A decision on whether or not to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Federated Co. against the city of Portland could be imminent – it could come any day or it may be dragged out longer – you know how some courts are working these days – delay, delay, delay as long as possible!
By way of backgkround, back in 2011 Federated Cos., of Florida, signed a contract with the city of Portland to construct a major rental complex in Bayside on 3.25 acres of blighted land. The plan called for four large towers with 500 – to 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 large new complex. It’s barely used these days. Some councilors thought Midtown would help solve a shortage of rental housing in Portland at the time. But it wasn’t to be.
At an April 23, 2013 city council meeting regarding the approval of a height reduction by Jonathan Cox, Federated’s CEO and founder, Tim Paradis called Midtown bloated and car driven “It would not be accepted by any other neighborhood. It’s a short-sighted vision and will debase the attractiveness of the area…………” Paradis said. In October of 2013, this blog reported that Tim Paradis and Peter Monro, retired landscape architect, founded a non-profit, KeepPortlandLivable, (KPL) to stop the development of projects that are “out of scale, out of character and a bad deal for Portland,” according to a press release issued by the two. Fast forward to November 24, 2014, this blog again reported that KPL had threatened the $85 million project with a lawsuit. Rather, Federated opted to reduce the height of the tall buildings and to meet permitting deadlines or quit the project. The project failed. And Tim Paradis is currently a spokesman for the pro-Palestinian group – Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights..
In 2021, the city council voted to seize the property that borders Somerset Street in Bayside. Federated countered with a lawsuit saying; Portland violated federal and state law by taking the entire plot without “just compensation.” On November 20, 2023, a hearing was held before The Honoracble Jon D. Levy on four motions to dismiss Federated’s lawsuit against the city of Portland..
Incidentally, the city of Portland was not cooperative in providing basic information about this issue as requested by this blogger. That failue to cooperate despite assurances to the contrary, begs the question: perhaps the city did not want this story told? Is that why the “Portland Press Herald,” the city’s mouthpiece, has not reported on this significant development either?
If the original Midtown, initially called Maritime Landing, had been allowed to go forward to completion, this bias blogger believes this complex would have been instrumental in reducing the current serious rental housing shortage in Portland. To seize or not to seize – that is the question!
“Oh. I do wish Portland had a bloated car driven apartment complex like Midtown to reduce the rental shortage in Portland,” said this blogger recently. “I once lived in a similar complex in Alexandria, Virginia. It was a wonderful experience. It was like living in our own village.”.