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V O L . X X V N O. X V J U LY 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 22 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / D E S I G N F O C U S Thinking holistically e Aceto design that won the 2017 Bayside Adapt Challenge shows a phased approach though 2050 that includes removal of Interstate 295. Instead there's a park along the Back Cove that would lessen the flooding impact. e design also brings back Mill Pond and the stream that links it to the cove, where the Forest Avenue east side northbound ramp to Interstate 295 is. e pond was filled in more than a cen- tury ago. e return to natural wetlands would help absorb some of the storm surge that now spreads across pavement. e rendering also shows where buildings can fill in empty lots or paved surface parking. e design is built on the same principles they use every day. "It's a balanced approach," says Caitlin Aceto. "It's about more than 'Where's the water going?' It's 'How can we infill development, what can we do with transportation and redun- dant infrastructure?" Increasing urban density will allow more people to be closer to where they work, attend school, get services and shop, lessening the impact on the environment and people's dependence on infrastructure, the Acetos say. "e biggest fallacy in Portland is that it's 'full,'" Nick says. All he and his colleagues see are empty spaces that aren't being used well. "It's about shift- ing the land-use paradigm." Caitlin adds, "It's thinking holisti- cally. ere's a ripple-down effect." Design that focuses on today should also be asking what effect it will have in 50 years, she says. Seth Kimball, a principal at Aceto, adds, "We have the unique opportunity to get ahead of it. We can decide what's important. We can decide how to adapt to our future in smart ways." Stressing the bottom line Portland and South Portland are also focusing on adaption, collaborating on a plan that's expected to be completed next year. A preliminary action plan published last fall cites the opportunity to "develop more robust adaptation strategies" that may include resilience- based ordinances, design standards and building codes that will connect adapta- tion to growth planning. Levine says rather than requiring developers to change, the city is look- ing at what incentives can be provided. "We want to say, 'If you build an adap- tive building, if you put the floor plate where it won't get wet in 50 years, there are incentives for that.' "People are interested in doing the right thing," he says, but they're also business people who have to focus more on what the building brings to » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E DESIGN | BUILD | MAINTAIN s e b a g o t e c h n i c s . c o m • s o u t h p o r t l a n d • 1 0 0 % e m p l o y e e - o w n e d Civil Engineering Land Surveying Planning & Permitting Transportation/Traffic Engineering Landscape Architecture Commercial Land & Site Development GIS & CAD Services High Definition Laser Scanning Environmental & Natural Resources Community Planning Sebago Technics understands that good design is determined during construction. Our multi-discipline services and focus on cost-effective construction results in success for everyone. SITE TO SUCCESS. BOWDOIN COLLEGE SCHILLER COASTAL STUDIES CENTER Orr's Island, ME MORSE HIGH SCHOOL Bath, ME MAINE MEDICAL CENTER EXPANSION Portland, ME R E N D E R I N G / C O A S T. N O A A . G OV / S L R Portland's waterfront and Bayside neighborhood will be under water if sea levels rise 6 feet by 2100. S O U R C E : NOAA Office for Coastal Management Sea Level Rise Viewer

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