In Portland, Maine, 23 Residential Apartments Rise On A City Owned Parking Lot

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The following is an article from Dwell posted on October 7, 2024, by Sarah Akkoush

Despite its centrally desirable location, the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland, Maine, was historically home to industrial and municipal buildings—warehouses, scrap yards, and low-quality housing dominated the urban landscape for decades. In 2017, however, when Portland’s Public Works Department left the neighborhood, the city looked to sell its surplus land. Answering a competitive RFP, Kaplan Thompson Architects put forth a proposal to build Workforce Housing apartments on a compact, quarter-acre parking lot in Bayside.

At ground level, the footprint of Parris Terraces is 2,155 square feet, while it expands to 3,852 square feet on its upper stories. "This technique raised most apartments up off the street level and created covered parking beneath the building, a necessity for Tetris-ing enough spaces within the tiny lot," says Kaplan Thompson principal Jesse Thompson. — At ground level, the footprint of Parris Terraces is 2,155 square feet, while it expands to 3,852 square feet on its upper stories. “This technique raised most apartments up off the street level and created covered parking beneath the building, a necessity for Tetris-ing enough spaces within the tiny lot,” says Kaplan Thompson principal Jesse Thompson.

Private outdoor areas—either full decks or Juliet balconies—are allocated to each unit.

Kaplan Thompson’s proposal—a residential infill project on the underutilized parcel—aimed to transform “dead” space into a vibrant community, while offering home ownership opportunities to segments of Portland’s population largely overlooked. When its proposal was greenlit by the city, Kaplan Thompson got to work designing a 50-foot residential building on the compact parcel—creating 23 new affordable homes in Bayside’s growing community.

Interior finishes are simple, durable, and economical. The homes’ kitchens feature stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and a kitchen island from IKEA. "We kept the interior material palette simple, clean, and bright; we wanted to have less visually distracting elements from complicating the spaces," says architect Adam Wallace. — Interior finishes are simple, durable, and economical. The homes’ kitchens feature stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and a kitchen island from IKEA. “We kept the interior material palette simple, clean, and bright; we wanted to have less visually distracting elements from complicating the spaces,” says architect Adam Wallace.

Although all of the units have generous ceiling heights not typically found in cost-conscious construction projects, three of the apartments on the top floor have a vaulted loft. "These top-floor lofted spaces played a crucial role in shaping both the dynamic interior volumes and the exterior form," explains Wallace.

In spite of their compact size, the one-bedroom, one-bathroom homes—ranging from 364 to 540 square feet—were designed to be functional and efficient. In organizing the apartments’ interior layout, the Kaplan Thompson team found inspiration in their own backyard. “Portland is an ocean city, so we began by looking carefully at boat design and how a single space could serve multiple purposes,” says architect Adam Wallace. Using these local cues, the design team favored an open floor plan with galley kitchen and movable island—allowing the space to be adaptively reconfigured to fit varying uses. Bedroom and bathroom sizes were strategically minimized in order to prioritize a generous, open-concept living space.

"We had limited floor area for each apartment with our efficient layouts, so we raised the ceiling height to create a more luminous space," shares Wallace. "In order to maximize natural light, we installed tall window units near the ceiling, allowing light to travel deeper into the spaces."

Sustainability was top of mind for the Kaplan Thompson team when designing Parris Terraces. Incorporating a tightly-insulated and thermally-broken building envelope, 24-hour fresh air ventilation system, and fossil fuel-free heating and cooling system helped keep efficiency high and long-term operating energy use low.

For the multifamily project, window design was critical to making the compact units feel airy and spacious. “The secret to making small living spaces feel large is high ceilings and windows that are as large as possible,” says Wallace. “We spent a huge amount of time thinking and talking about the windows on this project.” The resultant design saw large windows placed as high to the ceiling as possible—accentuating the verticality of the space, while offering privacy from the street. To provide fresh air, smaller operable windows are positioned next to larger, economical fixed windows in the home’s living room and bedroom—tactfully balancing comfort and cost. Decks off of each unit are a valuable extension of interior space—making the compact homes feel bright and open, and encouraging residents to engage with their neighborhood beyond.

"The exterior decks ended up being especially successful," says Thompson. "They were constructed with simple, durable materials and helped to visually organize the exterior facades with a strong presence against the darker clapboard siding."

With 18 of the 23 homes selling to first-time homebuyers, Parris Terraces delivers previously scarce housing opportunities to young workers, couples, and small families in the heart of downtown Portland. "Purchasable Workforce Housing allows individuals who desire the convenience and walkability of city living, but who have been financially limited to renting, to transition to homeownership," says Thompson. — With 18 of the 23 homes selling to first-time homebuyers, Parris Terraces delivers previously scarce housing opportunities to young workers, couples, and small families in the heart of downtown Portland. “Purchasable Workforce Housing allows individuals who desire the convenience and walkability of city living, but who have been financially limited to renting, to transition to homeownership,” says Thompson.

Since the completion of Parris Terraces in 2019, the Bayside neighborhood has continued to see growth and development—with additional multifamily buildings popping up, as well as new bars, restaurants, gyms, and offices opening their doors.

Parris Terraces, says architect Jesse Thompson, helps meet a desperate need for “missing middle” housing—homes that fall in between single-family dwellings and high-density highrises. “By introducing smaller and more affordable units, Parris Terraces welcomes first-time homebuyers into the city and establishes them as permanent residents of a burgeoning neighborhood,” says Thompson. “As a result, an influx of permanent residents lays the foundation for a lasting and growing community.”

In Portland, Maine, 23 Residential Apartments Rise On A City Owned Parking Lot

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