Portland, Maine, At A Crossroads

"Across Maine's largest city, whole tracts of land are poised to be transformed in the next few years. More than $800 million in major projects are planned or anticipated on the downtown peninsula alone, from the $110 million Westin Hotel and condominium project on the eastern waterfront to the $161 million Mercy Hospital campus on the Fore River.

Much of the development is driven by Portland's growing national reputation as a "cool" place to live, work and play. It's attracting a variety of young, creative professionals, baby-boomers and empty-nesters, many of whom are escaping the stress and congestion of larger cities across the United States.

The trouble is, a lot of the residential development is high-end condominiums and subsidized, income-restricted apartments. Single-family home construction is lagging, creating a housing imbalance that could be the final shove for Portland's already dwindling working- and middle-class core."