MIXED USE/COMMUNITY

BRICK HILL

Brick Hill occupies the former site of the Maine Youth Center, a juvenile corrections facility, in South Portland, Maine. When the Maine Youth Center relocated to a more modern facility nearby, they left behind a campus of striking historic brick structures and a pastoral, hilltop landscape that was within walking distance of thousands of jobs in the Maine Mall area, and only a short drive (or paddle - the development includes a dock and launch for small boats) across the harbor from downtown Portland.

The Developers Collaborative won a competitive request for qualifications to redevelop the site based on an open-ended commitment to let the community determine the shape of the development - an approach that owes its success to the Developers Collaborative philosophy of smart-growth planning.

The planning process revealed a strong need for affordable housing within walking distance of new job opportunities, plus a desire to preserve and enhance the campus's open spaces and historic buildings. “The Castle”, an imposing former reform school, underwent a challenging but extremely successful renovation and conversion into medical offices. Five historic brick “cottages” circling the campus's central green were transformed into multi-family apartments. And a John Calvin Stevens-designed barn on the eastern fringe of the site anchored a new home for social-service provider Youth Alternatives.

Future phases of Brick Hill will add additional market-rate housing along Long Creek and a large office development that will provide the neighborhood with additional economic opportunities.

FAST FACTS

Location:
Westbrook St., South Portland

Completion Date:
Ongoing

Project Scope:
139 affordable apartments, 79 market-rate condominiums, and 149,000 square feet of office space

Lead developer:
Richard Berman

Total Cost:
$65 million