Published August 9, 2023

1 & 31 Raynes Ave & 203 Maplewood Ave

Written by Andrew Samonas

To learn more about what the planning, approval stages, timelines, and what final sites will look like for this development click here for the Portsmouth town planning site.

1 & 31 Raynes Ave & 203 Maplewood Ave

Planning & Design Approval Stage

Completion TBD

Structures of the Past

This site by North Mill Pond held quite a few structures of the past.

Circa 1946, this site is where a commercial structure occupied by Macco Auto Painting & Bodyworks and National Wrecker Service stood.

Then in 1955, the building was used as a garage for New England Telephone and Telegraph Company.

A second commercial structure on this same site, in 1950, was occupied by the Portsmouth Computer Center and was originally used by N. J. Gendron Lumber Co.

Growing into the Future

This new development along North Mill Pond, will consist of one mixed-use building with ground floor retail space, 32 apartments and a separate 5-story hotel featuring 124 rooms.

Developers will also donate more than half an acre of land along the pond's waterfront for community space which will include part of the North Mill Pond Community Trail and a restored viewing pier.

While this project received approval in January of this year, there are still many who oppose. The city's Planning Board granted a rehearing on the site plan approval for the project and a Rockingham County Superior Court judge has issued a stay on any Planning Board proceedings related to the development.

OUR TAKE

Here in Portsmouth, we are fortunate for so many reasons. We enjoy some of the highest quality-of-life metrics in the country based on safety, community, and property values. Within these metrics, we look deeper at the desirability of the area. In addition to the existing landscape, there are developers who want to make their mark on our historic city. When analyzing their development sites the high barrier to entry requires density and comprehensive planning. What does this mean? This means putting the city's zoning and planning ordinances to the test to yield the highest and best use for development sites. The North End is the latest area of the city to go through these developer tests. Portsmouth wants to create "complete neighborhoods" with sidewalks, retail, and life after 5pm. The City alone cannot shoulder the cost to create all of these public amenities so they rely on private developers to contribute to the plan. In doing so we see incentive-based zoning at work. Are the larger sidewalks, pocket parks, and public greenways enough to substantiate the large impact developments? Is there enough value created for our tax basis and our resident's quality of life to say yes to these projects? That is to be determined, but if not private developers who and when will these public amenities come from? We are waiting with bated breath to understand the true impact of projects like Raynes Ave.

To learn more about what the planning, approval stages, timelines, and what final sites will look like for this development click here for the Portsmouth town planning site.