Residential development
This was a comprehensive real estate development project completed for an investor which involved a full renovation of an existing 1900’s home in Portland’s East Bayside. This project was unusual because we included a basement level unit in the development phase to maximize the use of the space. We had the city’s housing shortage in mind when we turned this 3-unit into a 4-unit building, thus creating more quality living space in town.
Construction
The goal of this project was to create modern and highly functional condominiums in Portland’s most up and coming neighborhood. We removed the existing roof structure and all of the interior wall framing. We also removed all plumbing, gas and electrical systems. We repaired the original stone and brick foundation to make it structurally sound. In addition, we waterproofed the foundation inside and out. We removed the existing slab in the basement and excavated the basement floor in order to create a functioning and bright living space. This walkout daylight basement unit also has a patio access in the rear. We also wanted to provide each upper level apartment with an outside area and so we added decks on the back of the building. We installed large patio doors to provide plenty of natural light in the master bedrooms as well as private access to the decks. These decks offer nice views of Back Cove and the city skyline. We completely updated all mechanical systems and added a new fire protection system. The insulation package we recommended for this project was a combination of blow-in dense packed cellulose, spray foam insulation and mineral wool soundproof insulation for sound control.
The interior portion of the renovation included installation of everything you would expect from a luxury condominium in Portland. We installed two bathrooms in each unit with high end tiles and modern vanities with quartz counter tops. Because we feel that storage is a must for city living, we created seven closets for storage including a small walk in closet in the master bedroom of each unit. We installed a modern kitchen with an 8’ long peninsula in each unit creating a contemporary take on an old galley kitchen, with hardwood floors throughout and a simple clean line trim package.
The development piece
This type of development project would not be possible to complete without the full dedication of everyone involved: the owner, our real estate team, our architectural and engineering teams as well as all our skilled tradesmens that are experts in their fields. We are fully responsible for the often confusing process of permitting, and inspections. In addition when necessary we help our clients to secure the loans with the bank and complete all bank reporting during the project to keep the funds coming in on time and keep the project moving. Each unit was completed with the intention of reselling it as an individual condominium. It’s a balance between adherence to the client’s budget as well as upholding the expected level of quality and finishes needed to sell the units at a reasonable market rate. Development work is something we are good at because we don’t do just development work, we see the whole process. We work with so many different types of clients that we intimately understand the current trends that people are after. Successfully combined with our construction expertise, we are able to create timeless spaces that will not need to be altered or renovated for years to come.
