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V O L . X X I I N O. X V I I J U LY 2 5 , 2 0 1 6 24 F ive years ago, Paul Ledman and his wife Colleen Myers decided to move their family to Portland from Cape Elizabeth. ey wanted to be in the city, and they wanted to design a house with several missions in mind — it would be energy-effi cient, provide rental income, be a solid investment in a desirable neighborhood and have a garage and an elevator so that they could age in place. Ledman, who is not a developer but has been involved with real estate for many years, came up with a design for a three-story apartment project and found a tiny infi ll lot to buy for $130,000. Located at 62 Cumberland Ave. on Munjoy Hill, the 5,000-square-foot lot had apparently been vacant "as far back as we can tell," Ledman says. "I have a photo of this area taken after the fi re of 1866, and this little spot has nothing on it, no foundation, no ruins. We think it was just a small lot tucked in there and was probably just sitting there, and no one thought to do anything here." Ledman found the lot after the city of Portland made a zoning change that allowed developers to allot just one off - street parking spot per apartment, rather than two. at change was one of a series that made it possible for develop- ers to view tiny lots scattered around the city as potential sites for new develop- ment. Given this lot's tight confi nes, more than one parking space per apart- ment would have made his dream proj- ect diffi cult, says Ledman. But the lot was just big enough to accommodate the building — a two-story owner's apart- ment on top and two rental apartments, driveway and three-car garage under- neath. Designed by Kaplan ompson Architects, the house has, since comple- tion fi ve years ago, become known as one of the most high-tech buildings in Maine, with a highly insulated envelope, photovoltaic array and solar hot water tubes, resulting in average energy costs of about $1 per day for the owners' unit. Like all city buildings, says Ledman, construction involved strategy, given the lack of stowage. "You order pieces, you plan your day well, you use the material you P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Developers focus on infill With demand for housing, vacant lots get a new look B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r F O C U S FOLLOW US @MBEVENTS #OTR2017 Throughout the year Mainebiz makes six stops all over Maine in our On the Road reception series. We give our readers the chance to break away from their desks to meet and mingle with other members of the local business community. Go to mainebiz.biz/OTR2017 to find out where we've been, and to tell us where to go in 2017. Or email Donna Brassard at dbrassard@mainebiz.biz. Tell Mainebiz where to go in 2017 READERS' CHOICE Jesse Thompson, principal of Kaplan Thompson Architects, on a deck on Cumberland Avenue on Munjoy Hill, one of several areas of Portland that has seen infi ll of construction on vacant or underused lots.

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