PORTLAND, Maine (February 16, 2009) – To the east stretches Portland’s city-owned pier, where a blockbuster proposal for badly needed renovations and development fell through last month. To the west, the main cargo terminal lies dormant. And in the center of this waterfront of erstwhile seafaring renown, the clusters of privately owned piers that link city and harbor exhibit various stages of disrepair and decay, compounded by the woes of the once-thriving fishing and lobster boats they berth.
As Maine’s largest city weathers the blows of a deep recession, the port that inspired its name has suffered the worst, and Portlanders are taking a hard look at how to preserve their city’s heritage in a world where oceanfront property increasingly takes precedence over the maritime industry.
And while Portland does not want to lose its identity as an ocean port, the question is how a vibrant city of top-of-the-line restaurants, upscale shops, and white-collar businesses should keep its fading marine industries alive.
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