A 45-unit condominium complex in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood was approved Tuesday night by the city’s Planning Board.

After a public hearing, the board voted unanimously in favor of the project at 218-220 Washington Ave., said City Hall spokeswoman Jessica Grondin.

The project’s developer, Vincent Maietta, has previously said he plans to break ground on the $13 million project next spring. Maietta said the site will offer owners sunset views over Back Cove, distant views of the White Mountains as well as the Portland skyline.

The four-story condominium complex will be built on steeply sloped land near the Interstate 295 off-ramp, across from the Eastern Promenade intersection with Washington Avenue. The site currently contains a single-family house, which will need to be demolished.

Maietta’s project is an example of how developers are looking at challenging development sites, including hillsides, to build housing that will satisfy housing market demands. The project consists of 21 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom units. Maietta has not revealed sales prices.

Grondin said the project was approved with conditions, one of which, according to Planning Board records, requires Maietta to pay $461,000 into the city’s housing trust fund. The payment will be made in lieu of setting aside four condos for middle-income earners – a requirement of the city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance.

The Planning Board held two workshops on the project before Tuesday’s meeting. The project was proposed last December.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

Related Stories