I am writing in response to this paper’s editorial on Jan. 18: “Our View: Planning Board made right call on ‘midtown.’ ”

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at the description of midtown as being “a building that is a little taller than the ones around it,” when in fact it is made up of four towers, each 14 stories high.

Each of these will be about the same height as Franklin Towers and Portland House and Promenade House on the Eastern Prom.

Each of these towers will be twice as massive as the InterMed building, and we will no longer be able to see the buildings running along the spine of Congress Street, such as City Hall (they have themselves to thank), the cathedral, the Time and Temperature building, etc.

In the winter, the shadows of these towers will go over 295 and over Back Cove. If we think the wind at Monument Square is rough to walk through, imagine the wind whipping through this new development.

Midtown will bring at least 1,000 more residents and their cars into Bayside, creating more traffic congestion, and many of us will not be able to afford these “market rate” apartments.

We all want development in Bayside, and it is already becoming a hot spot for small businesses and new residents. We understand these lots are narrow and difficult to develop. However, this plan is just too massive.

I fear that the first tower will be built and that Portland residents who have not followed this plan, busy working to pay bills day to day, will look up and raise their voices in surprise and dismay when it is too late.

For an accurate visual of what this development will look like, go to http://keepportlandlivable.com/Home.html.

Margo Dittmer

Portland