Project Summary

The City of Portland owns four undeveloped parcels in the Bayside neighborhood, known as the “Midtown properties.” As it considers the future sale of these sites, the City is inviting community members to share their ideas and preferences for how the properties could be used. We encourage you to share your thoughts by completing the survey below.

Project History

In 2016, the City of Portland sold four Bayside lots, totalling 3.45 acres, to the Federated Companies and related entities. When Federated’s project stalled, the company and the City became involved in several lawsuits. They later reached a settlement in which all claims were dropped, the property was returned to the City, and the City paid Federated $15 million.

In response to guidance provided by the City Council in an executive session in November 2025, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional brokerage services to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to achieve the highest and best use of each site. As a result of that competitive process, the Boulos Company was selected to assist the City in marketing the properties.

Next Steps

Community members are invited to share their ideas for how these sites should be used at upcoming public meetings and through an online survey.

A summary of community feedback will be presented to the Council’s Housing & Economic Development Committee in May. Based on this input and subsequent Council guidance, marketing materials may be developed for further Committee review.

Opportunities/Challenges

The lots are located in the B-3 zone, which allows a mix of uses such as housing, businesses, community spaces, and recreation. Buildings in this zone can include apartments, townhouses, offices, hotels, child care centers, and residential care facilities, among others.

All four sites abut the Bayside Trail, a paved, multi-use path.

Building height in the B-3 zone is limited to 180 feet, or about 15 to 18 stories. A nearby example of an 18-story structure is the Casco apartment building, located at 201 Federal Street.

Future developments may need to account for environmental conditions, including potential flooding and other site-related factors.