A  workshop in the third and final phase of the expansion plan of Maine Medical Center (MMC) was held earlier this evening at Portland’s city hall. A second workshop will be held at a later date focusing on different aspects than were discussed this evening.

Dick Parsons, of Turner Construction, told the planning board that a pre-construction survey will be conducted of the immediate neighbors before construction begins.  The dismantling of the Gilman Street parking garage will occur late in 2019.  It will be carefully monitored.  That construction  will take six (6) months. After the garage is removed the foundation work begins.  A new entrance on the St. John Street of the hospital will be an asset for businesses in the area. Construction time is expected to last three (3) years. Turner Construction is the construction company hired to do the expansion work.

Following the garage demolition, it will be replaced with a 285,000 sf hospital.  The new hospital will house 64 private patient rooms, 19 procedure rooms and connections to both the Congress Street corridor  and the interior of the Bramhall campus.  This will allow for expediency in transporting cardiac patients from one location to another within the hospital.

There will be new concrete sidewalks on Congress Street and Gilman Street, which converge at an open plaza space at the northwest corner of the site.  This plaza is proposed in concrete as well, with a wide stair in granite, which provides pedestrian access to the main entrance via  a turnaround.  The plans show five locust honey trees along the Congress Street curbline.

The second workshop will focus on transportation, utilities and stormwater issues.  The date is yet to be determined.

“It’s a museum quality building,” said Sean Dundon, Chair of the city’s Planning Board following the this evening.  “Have you got all the information you need to proceed?”  To which Jeff Sanders, VP of Operations responded:  “We are good.”

Note:  This blogger is having difficulty posting photos from my camera.  Will continue to work on it!