AFFORDABLE HOUSING

BRICK HILL TOWNHOUSES

Brick Hill occupies the former site of the Maine Youth Center, a juvenile corrections facility, in South Portland, Maine. When the Maine Youth Center relocated to a more modern facility nearby, they left behind a campus of striking historic brick structures and a pastoral, hilltop landscape that was within walking distance of thousands of jobs in the Maine Mall area, and only a short drive (or paddle - the development includes a dock and launch for small boats) across the harbor from downtown Portland.

The planning process for the site revealed a strong need for affordable housing within walking distance of new and existing job opportunities. Neighbors also expressed a desire to preserve the campus's historic brick buildings.

As a result, the Developers Collaborativemade affordable housing a focus of the redevelopment plan. In addition to the conversion of historic cottages into affordable housing, Brick Hill also includes a small district of 66 newly-built, affordable townhouses aligned around a small grid of walkable streets near the western entrance to the development.

Brickhill Heights, a later phase of development, added an additional 30 affordable housing units for families to the site in 2008. Brickhill Heights also includes a community room and a playground for the neighborhood.

All of this housing has easy access to expansive open spaces, including a small boat launch on Long Creek. The homes are also within walking distance to hundreds of jobs, including existing and planned commercial developments on the Brick Hill site.

FAST FACTS

Location:
Brick Hill neighborhood, South Portland

Completion Date:
2006

Project Scope:
66 affordable apartments

Lead Developers:
Richard Berman and Jim Hatch

Total Cost:
$9 million