Out of left field

    During the last couple weeks, this space has been devoted to criticizing planning in Scarborough and how poor planning has contributed to a lack of community identity in the town. Well, it’s easy to throw stones. How about a constructive idea for a change?
    In that spirit I propose a radical idea that could contribute a great deal to creating a center of gravity for a town that seems to want to sprawl and maybe, counter intuitively, preserve the rural character that many people wish to preserve.
    What is this idea? It’s easy. So easy, I can explain it in two words.
    Office towers.
    You think I’m joking? Maybe I’m being a little snarky? Making a point with hyperbole?
    I’m dead serious.
    The Route One corridor in Scarborough, especially south of Oak Hill, contains a number of parcels of land that would be well suited for high-rise commercial development. The area contains little residential development and lots of room for the required setbacks and infrastructure needed for a high-density development. By creating a critical mass of people in what is currently an underdeveloped commercial district, all sorts of other planning goals become feasible. A skywalk over Route One? Done. A senior center? Done. A mass transit hub? Done. A more diverse property tax base resulting in lower property taxes? Done.
    Cabela’s and Scarborough Gallery have demonstrated that mega retail projects are possible in town, why not large-scale commercial office property?
    Consider this: Ram Harden, a commercial real estate broker, recently distributed its January 2007 Greater Portland Office and Industrial Market Survey. The survey revealed the growth of demand for commercial space in the region grew as the overall vacancy rate dropped from 7.21 percent in 2005 to 5.15 percent in 2006. Here’s the interesting part – the market for commercial space in suburban areas of the region is stronger than it is in downtown Portland, with vacancy rates of roughly seven percent in the two classes of commercial properties the survey tracks. Furthermore, the change in vacancy rate moved by one-half a percent from 2005 to 2006. In the same timeframe, overall vacancy in the suburban market dropped 3.5 percent. In the suburban market, vacancy is dropping even as the amount of leaseable space has grown and rents increase.
    Overall, the vacancy rate in the greater Portland area is significantly lower than the national average. Ram Harden anticipates the market to continue to grow.
    Scarborough is close enough to downtown Portland to be considered part of the same market, but far enough away to noticeably cut the commuting times of people driving from the south. If Maine allowed highway billboards, one could imagine commuters passing a sign that read, “If you worked in Scarborough, you’d be home by now.”
    With the right architectural and development team, an office tower or towers on Route One could well become the marquee business address in the region. It would stand out without being in the way. It could draw the eye without blocking out the sun.
    I’m not sure how high a tower would need to be to secure a view of the bay to the east, the mountains to the west and the Portland skyline to the north, but I suspect one would not need to break any world records to do so. Not by a long shot.
    But how would such a development reduce sprawl and preserve the rural character? By creating these mega-projects, and creating a critical mass, smaller scale commercial opportunities become possible, with independent shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and other businesses could fill in the gaps in the triangle between Wal-Mart, Cabela’s and the commercial district, while relieving pressure on outlying areas to broaden the tax base. The town could use a portion of tax revenue and require offsite improvements to extend sewer service (and reduce lot sizes) and conserve open space.
    So that’s my idea. Is it a bit wacky? Probably. Could it work? I think so. Will it ever happen? Don’t hold your breath.