New apartment building offers 43 units, green features

Today's opening of the brand new 53 Danforth apartment building was celebrated by a line-up of well-known speakers. At the podium is Chellie Pingree, Maine's 1st District representative to the U.S. Congress, who is fresh from her much talked about appearance on The Colbert Report. To her left are Dale McCormick, director of the Maine State Housing Authority, Governor John Baldacci, the project's developers Nathan Szanton and Bob Monks, and, just out of the frame, Portland Mayor Jill Duson.

They gathered to applaud the construction of this attractive 43-unit apartment building named 53 Danforth in reference to its street address. It includes 30 affordable apartments and 13 market rate apartments. Located in the Studio District, this apartment building has super-insulated walls, solar hot water heaters, low-flow showerheads, Energy Star appliances and efficient lighting. Tenants who don't own cars will receive a monthly rent reduction of $40. For those who want to go car-free, this location is pretty sweet. It's right next to the West End and Old Port and surrounded by eateries, including Yosaku, Portland Pie and El Rayo Taqueria.

Here's a view of part of the crowd that filled much of Danforth Street. There are lots of notable people in this shot, and I'll just point out a few. In the dark suit is Hans Underdahl, president of the Portland Museum of Art Board of Trustees, and next to him in the tan suit is Mark Bessire, the museum's director. When the museum bought the old YWCA next to its campus it placed $900,000 in escrow to replace the housing formerly in the Y building. That money helped fund this project.

To Mark's right, also in a tan summer suit, is Dave Birkhahn of TD Banknorth, who helped make the project possible by facilitating the bank's purchase of the property's low-income housing tax credits. In front of Mark, is the Portland Press Herald's summer intern Tim Devaney, who will have a story about the new building in tomorrow's paper, accompanied by photos from staff photographer John Ewing, in the green shirt. Be sure to check it out.

As you can see, there were TV crews at the event as well. The lady in the black pants and lime green top is Patty McDougal, who has already rented an apartment in the building. According to Nathan Szanton, others who have leased apartments include a waitress, a Shaw's clerk and an LL Bean manager.

This is a typical kitchen layout in the building's one and two bedroom units. In the units I toured, prices ranged from $771 for an affordable one-bedroom (renters must meet income guidelines) to $1,395 for a market rate one-bedroom.

Without a doubt, the best apartment in the building is this one-bedroom which comes with a giant rooftop deck with views of the harbor and the West End. It rents for $1,550. Should you want to check out these new digs before they're all rented, call Karen Walker at Dirigo Management Company at 871-1080.

Sunflower rises over Bayside

Art is everywhere in Portland, even on the outside of private homes. Photographer Jay York, who specializes in shooting the work of other local artists, recently installed this massive sunflower sculpture on his house/studio, a converted church on Wilmont Street in Bayside. You can see it from the Whole Foods Market parking lot, and you may be able to catch a glimpse of it as you're zipping past on I-295.

The striking sculpture, which I photographed from Oxford Street, is the work of prolific artist Patrick Plourde of New Gloucester. He's known for using salvaged wood, metal and other objects and transforming them into sleek, organic and sometimes whimsical forms. Pat's furniture can be found in private homes and at restaurants around town, including Street & Co., Standard Baking Company and Whole Foods. Those who collect his work include Ralph Lauren and Robert De Niro.

The sculpture is crafted from a number of salvaged objects. The center is made from an old, overturned steel kettle which has been studded with antique nails. The petals are made from white cedar salvaged from old pickle barrels and covered in a yellow milk wash.

When I asked Jay how he got the sculpture onto the side of his house, he said: "It took three of us, a come-along and a 30-foot ladder."

I'm glad Jay and his crew made the effort, because each time I see this radiant sculpture it makes me smile and reminds me of why I love Portland.

Port City Music Hall gets ready to rock

Portland is about to gain a really awesome live music venue, and the other day I had the great luck of scoring a behind-the-scenes tour. Called Port City Music Hall, it will soon open at 504 Congress St., where the Stadium used to be (prior to downsizing) and before that the Keystone Theater. Right now the exterior doesn't look like much, but you can see where they've added ticket windows.

Inside, the space is huge and will be have a maximum capacity of 660 people standing. Smaller shows could set up row seating (capacity 350) or four-top tables (capacity 240). Construction is still in full swing, but you can see part of the giant bar to the left. Plans don't call for a full food menu, but light fare will be offered, and in the summer there will be sidewalk seating. Beyond the frame of this snapshot, there's an entrance area, a coat check and a door to a hallway that leads to the offices upstairs and provides private access to the stage for the musicians. In front of the glass windows, there will be a a cozy lounge area.

Portland-based interior designer Joshua Bergey is working on making a really hip interior. Here publicity manager Ceci Gilson shows off one of the cool '70s-era couches Bergey picked up at an auction in Boston. This couch is stored in a huge room downstairs that could be used for private functions. Next door there's a room that will have pool tables and more couches.

This board of paint samples was in the same room as the couch. It wasn't clear if this is the final color scheme, but there's a good chance that stencil will show up around the club.

Don't be fooled by the paint color. This is the green room, where the band members can hang out and get ready for the show. The room includes a full bathroom and a dressing room. Outside this room, there is a sweet roof deck for use by the bands and staff.

Back downstairs, I took this photo of the roughed-in stage. Since the crews were working on sanding the drywall during my visit, this dust-obscured picture was the best I could get. To the left of the stage, there will be a raised VIP area with its own bar. Due to delays related to the recent ice storm, a definitive opening date has not been set. But owner Rob Evon is aiming for the week of Jan. 15. Right now the Port City Music Hall MySpace page lists a few of the acts lined up so far. The always-fun Boston group Lovewhip is booked for Jan. 22 and internationally-acclaimed OK Go hits the stage on March 13. It's clear that in just a few weeks, Congress Street will really be rocking.

Touring the Freemason's secretive temple

On Saturday, Adam and I took part in a first-time-ever public tour of the Masonic Temple located at 415 Congress St. The front half of the building was sold years ago to finance upkeep, while the back of the building (which faces Portland High School's Freshmen Alley) is still owned by three Portland lodges, a few regional orders and the Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine, all of which belong to the international fraternal organization known as the Freemasons. This back half of the building, which is considered one of the state's most endangered properties by Maine Preservation, is where we went for the free tour.

Because the blockbuster film and the best-selling book "The Da Vinci Code" have popularized the legends surrounding this generally secretive society (whose history stretches back to at least the 16th century and includes many prominent figures), you're likely wondering why the Portland temple opened its doors to the public. The reason is rising costs. As a result, the building is on the market, listed at $5.25 million. To drum up interest in the property, the brothers decided to invite the curious to have a look.

During our tour, Rob Lind (who chairs the governing body that operates the building), mentioned that some members of the organization have expressed an interest in renting parts of the space to theater groups or arts organizations rather than selling the whole property outright. This would bring in new revenue and allow the Masons to maintain the building's historic use, but I can imagine other members may object to this idea because it lessens the exclusive, clubby feel of this exquisite architectural gem.

We started our tour downstairs, where the hallway has an arched ceiling, the original decorative painting and the finest quality millwork. Decorative wall painting is a delightful feature throughout the building. We learned on the tour that a few of the walls have been cleaned only once since the building was completed in 1911, but even without upkeep the paint is in relatively good condition.

This is called the Scottish Rite Reading Room. I didn't see many books, but I did see two lovely pool tables and a round table that would be perfect for poker.

Here's a rather fuzzy look at the impressive Corinthian Hall and its beautiful stained glass windows (you can see a better image here). The space is used for the elaborate (and secretive) rituals the Masons perform. This room also has thrones and a massive pipe organ.

We ran into our friend Adam while on the tour. Here are the two Adams looking Masonic in Corinthian Hall.

Boody Hall is the place where the Masons gather to conduct business, such as secret balloting on whether or not to accept candidates for membership. Candidates must be 18+, have high moral character and believe in God. Lind said traditionally many members have been military men, police officers or farmers. There are three sets of thrones in this room, and the organization's leadership sits in them according to rank. The central pedestal has green velvet cushions for kneeling and a Bible at the center.

Here I am standing in front of the highest throne. Note the G on the wall above me. When asked about it, Lind said it stood for God and geometry, "among other things." Could "other things" include the elusive grail?

In order for candidates to move through the various degrees of Freemasonry (there are 32 in all), the lodges perform elaborate theatrical productions. Each performance is crafted to impart a moral lesson, and each requires its own closet for costume and prop storage. Lind pulled out this rack of clothes to demonstrate the storage capacity.

These are the costumes from the performance Masons refer to informally as "George Washington." The room also houses an assortment of wigs and a large station for applying stage makeup.

It's easy to see how the massive Scottish Rite Auditorium with seating for more than 700 and two pipe organs could be used by other performing arts groups.

The walls of the building are covered in murals, portraits, prints, plaques and Knights Templar imagery. This plaque commemorates President George Washington's Masonic membership, one of many famous Masons.

The tour was absolutely fascinating and certainly deepened my understanding of Freemasonry. I'm hopeful that somehow this magnificent building seeped in mystery and myth can be preserved in its present state. Maybe the local lodges can start charging a fee and make the tours a regular thing? I'm sure there are many people who would fork over a few bucks for the chance to check out this unique property filled with grandeur and lore. I'd even pay to see it again.

Portland gets mugged

Coffee By Design wants you to drink your java in proper Portland style. To make this easier, they've introduced a limited edition line of mugs created by ceramic artist Megan Walsh. Each of the four mugs depicts a local landmark, including the Portland Museum of Art, the Baxter Library, Monument Square and the building next to WCSH-6. The mugs sell for $20 and can be purchased from any of Coffee By Design's three downtown shops.

Skyline is a changing in East End

If you've driven or walked down India or Fore streets lately, you've likely seen the massive new Ocean Gateway parking garage. It's nestled next to long time neighborhood landmark Micucci Grocery and is in the spot where the Breakaway Tavern used to sit. In the distance, you can see a slice of the slanting roof of the actual Ocean Gateway ferry terminal.

On the back of the garage there is a mural painted by Elizabeth Morrill Burke of Peerless Painting of Falmouth. According to The Bollard, the mural was created as a way to make an ugly wall meet the city's design standards. The image is based on historical photos of the Eastern Prom, which may explain why it's rendered in grayscale. Or maybe they were just trying to save money on paint.

Should you come down Middle Street, you can't help but notice another new building rising behind the garage.

Rumor has it that this new building at the corner of Fore and Hancock streets will become a Residence Inn by Marriott.

Hopefully, we can expect more construction in this area soon. Across Middle Street from the garage is the spot where the Village Cafe used to be. It was knocked down in June to make way for the Bay House condos. The website says people will begin moving in next fall. However, when I did a story about the condos for Switch a little over a year ago, I was told construction was going to start at the beginning of this year for a fall 2009 opening. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens to this now vacant lot.

Chestnut Street Church headed for Grace

This lovely old church is tucked behind City Hall on Chestnut Street. A former Methodist house of worship (not so creatively named Chestnut Street Church), it was recently purchased by Anne and Peter Verrill, who own the Foreside Tavern in Falmouth. When I spotted the dumpster outside and a building permit by the door, I had to investigate.

Kate Tozier, the GM of the Foreside Tavern, tells me the aim is to create a casual fine dining establishment named Grace.

"Anne and Pete have bought the church and are renovating it to become a restaurant and a bar with a function area downstairs," Tozier says.

They hope to open in Feb. or March of next year. (Of course, with the way restaurant openings go, we probably shouldn't get our hopes up until May.)

Toizer says the menu and concept are far from complete, but tells me there won't be white cloths on the tables or nachos and wings on the menu. Instead they want the atmosphere to mimic the comfortable, welcoming vibe that Foreside Tavern has been so successful in cultivating.

Inside the Baxter Building

Since 1889, the Baxter Building has been a landmark of upper Congress Street. It began its life as the city's library after being donated to our fair town by six-term mayor and philanthropist James Baxter. The library moved down the street in 1979 and in 1983 the Maine College of Art took over the space.

Now MECA has put the building up for sale and the prospective buyer is interested in turning it into office space for creative types. MECA plans to consolidate its offices and classrooms at the Porteous Building, which will surely make life much easier for its students.

Even though I've lived in Portland for a decade, I'd never been inside the Baxter Building, until this weekend. I took a class at MECA that just happened to be held in the Baxter Building. From my brief peek inside, it's clear this building has wonderful architectural potential.

According to a story in the current edition of the "Landmarks Observer" (published by Greater Portland Landmarks), "The structure retains much of its original integrity, though large statues representing History, Literature and Art that once stood on the roof peak and cornice eaves were removed in 1929. The original front doors have been replaced and windows have been modified. Inside, many architectural details remain intact, though MECA installed partitions to divide the former reading room into offices and a mezzanine under the second floor peaked ceiling for its New Media lab."

Here's some of what I saw inside:

This is the lovely stairway that welcomes visitors inside from the street.

And here's the soaring ceiling of what I'm assuming is the former reading room. Below (and out of the frame) are partitions that block off whatever is going on at ground level.