Portland officials refine vision for ‘Midtown’ development

 The majority of residents responding to a public call for feedback on how Portland's midtown properties should be redeveloped said housing should be prioritized, along with recreational or open space. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer) It took some time, but Portland officials agreed Monday on a basic vision for potential development of the 3.5-acre “Midtown” properties in the Bayside neighborhood. The key components settled on include: mixed-income housing at a maximized density, a standalone park, and services and retail that are affordable for neighborhood residents. The city’s broker for the parcels, The Boulos Co., will use the council’s feedback to finalize a request for proposals and release the marketing materials sometime this summer. Monday’s workshop came after the city conducted public listening sessions and an online survey to glean resident feedback on what to do with the long-vacant land. But [earlier this month](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/03/portland-councilors-still-at-odds-over-how-to-market-midtown-parcels/) — and at times on Monday — officials were still at odds over the best approach to development. The land along Somerset Street needs at least some environmental remediation, is located in a low-lying area that requires planning for sea-level rise, and is viewed by many as a critical point to enhance pedestrian and cyclist connectivity along the Bayside Trail. Based on the [results from the survey](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/15/portland-residents-say-midtown-development-should-balance-housing-open-space/), a majority of councilors said proposals should maximize housing density, which would allow for buildings on par with the 18-story Casco building on Federal Street, which is the state’s tallest for now. Advertisement Most councilors pointed to the housing crisis as an obvious reason for supporting density. Councilor Anna Bullett argued that by adding height to buildings, it would free up space to have courtyards or community spaces open to the public. Mayor Mark Dion said he’d rather see buildings between 8-15 stories — “something more toned down so it fits into the neighborhood.” Councilor Regina Phillips agreed, pointing out that there are already 1,000 units in the development pipeline in Bayside. Staff estimated another 1,000 could be placed along Somerset Street. Related [Portland residents say ‘Midtown’ development should balance housing, open space](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/15/portland-residents-say-midtown-development-should-balance-housing-open-space/) The draft request for proposals from Boulos states that nearly four out of five survey respondents ranked housing in their top three priorities, and about two-thirds named it first. It also states that strong proposals should provide a variety of housing types — a combination of affordable, workforce or market-rate housing with both rental and ownership opportunities. Councilor Sarah Michniewicz, who represents Bayside, said that while she wants to see housing, focusing too much on density could cut out multibedroom units that could support families. She has also remained strongly in favor of retaining a slice of land for a park. Councilors Kate Sykes and Wes Pelletier pushed for prioritizing more innovative models. Sykes said at least some of the housing built should support long-term affordability. Pelletier argued the city should consider a land lease structure, where the city would retain ownership of some or all the land and lease it to a developer. He said that could assert more control over the development while bringing in annual revenue. Advertisement The land was once slated to become an ambitious development featuring over 800 housing units and retail space in four multistory buildings. However, the project [fell apart in 2018](https://www.pressherald.com/2018/03/27/long-awaited-midtown-seen-as-key-to-bayside-revival-appears-dead/), sparking a multiyear legal battle between the city and the developer that ended with Portland reacquiring the lots last year in a $15 million settlement.  Nate Stevens, a broker for Boulos, said prioritizing land leases would likely limit the number of proposals received, but officials agreed to include it as an option to consider. The RFP will include a rubric for scoring proposals, which Stevens said will give points based on how well developers meet priorities like housing types, greenspace and creative ways to make the project a mixed-use neighborhood. “Not a wall of housing — we want a living, breathing neighborhood,” he said. Other ideas for the space included a community center or a space for a city-run family shelter. Related [Portland councilors still at odds over how to market Midtown parcels](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/03/portland-councilors-still-at-odds-over-how-to-market-midtown-parcels/) Sykes also repeated a point she previously made about attracting some kind of affordable retail options to the development, especially after the loss of the downtown Reny’s. Sykes has continued to call for the city to drive the decision-making as much as possible. Advertisement “This is our vision, not some marketing company’s vision,” she said. Dion reminded councilors that the decisions made Monday were not final. “Maybe we don’t like anything they come back with. That’s data too,” he said. Assistant City Manager Dena Libner said that once the RFP goes out and proposals are received, staff would then present and make recommendations on the proposals to the housing and economic development committee. Stevens said the approximate timeline from issuing the RFP to final selection is generally six to eight months. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [portland maine](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/portland-maine/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/andrew-rice) [Andrew RiceStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/andrew-rice) Andrew Rice is a staff writer at the Press Herald covering the city of Portland. He's been working in journalism since 2012, joining the Sun Journal in 2017, then the Press Herald in 2026. He lives in. [More by Andrew Rice](https://www.pressherald.com/author/andrew-rice)