Safdie Architects Unveils Mixed-Use Tower and District Plan for Portland's Old Port in Maine
May 16, 2025
Safdie Architects, in collaboration with East Brown Cow, has revealed the design for Old Port Square, a mixed-use development in Portland, Maine.
By Nour Fakharany, ArchDaily
The proposal reimagines a four-acre site in the city's historic Old Port neighborhood with a combination of residential units, hospitality, retail, and public space. Anchoring the project is a 30-story tower at 45 Union Street, inspired by Maine's lighthouse typology and elevated on pilotis to support pedestrian circulation. The tower will include hotel rooms, apartments, and a public sky lobby with views over Casco Bay. Additional components include a timber and glass retail pavilion and the ongoing renovation of existing buildings across the site. The project aims to reconnect a fragmented urban fabric while responding to the area's material and architectural context.