Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1519660
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 29 A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S 3 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y As the days get longer and the sun shines brighter, it's time to gear up for unforgettable summer road trips! At VIP Tires & Service, our expert technicians are here to ensure your car is ready for the journey ahead. Embark on a worry-free vacation with our commitment to your vehicle's well-being. Enjoy a complimentary multi-point inspection (MPI) for a thorough visual examination of your car. Additionally, take advantage of all our free services including, brake inspections, A/C and alignment checks, as well as battery testing, so you can hit the road with utmost confidence. With over 70 locations throughout Maine, NH, VT, MA, and CT our ASE Certified Automotive Professionals are ready to serve you and help keep you cruising down the road safely! SCAN THE QR CODE TO FIND A VIP NEAR YOU! REV UP FOR SUMMER: Prepare Your Car For The Ultimate Road Trip! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK | VIPAUTO.COM Portland's changing skyline A landscape changed by development projects, new ideas B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n M aine's identity as a place to do business depends on a lot of factors, but one way we've seen major changes is in real estate projects from around the state. Occasionally, the projects were the brainchild of one person, but in many cases they were group efforts that relied on the cooperation of real estate developers, local planning boards, investors, Maine's financing agencies and the state's congressional delega- tion, which often came up with money to get projects over the hump. is is only an overview of some of the projects that have had a mark on Maine in the past three decades. Possibly the most dramatic change has been the look of Portland's East End, with the construction of corporate headquar- ters for WEX Inc. and Covetrus led to new construction from Sun Life, as well as the addition of the Roux Institute (which leases space from WEX at 100 Fore St.). Much of this had been vacant land. e corporate development led, in turn, to condo development, the AC Hotel and numerous restaurants, includ- ing the award-winning Twelve. Let's not forget that, by the early 1990s, much of the East End was very raw, as least as far as commercial devel- opment. In 1994, Shipyard Brewing Co. took over a former factory, carting out Dumpsters of debris. Shipyard, along with Geary, helped spark Maine's craft beer movement. Fast forward to today, elsewhere on the Portland peninsula, Maine's tallest building, the Casco, at 18 stories, recently opened. More importantly, it includes 263 much-needed apartments. Other Portland development At ompson's Point, the addition of the Maine Children's Museum & eatre in [2019] was the tipping point for redevelopment of a stagnant C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E ยป Possibly the most dramatic change has been the look of Portland's East End. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY The view of the new development near Fore and Hancock streets in Portland, 2019