PORTLAND, Maine — Since 1869, the title of tallest building in the city of Portland has belonged to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
That is until now.
Sitting at the corner of Federal and Temple streets is the newest structure to hold that honor, 201 Federal St. It's also considered to be the tallest building in Maine without a steeple.
"We understand this is the tallest building in Maine, although that's never been an objective or a priority," Jonathan Culley, the managing partner for Redfern Properties, said.
The building will be home to 263 apartment units, some studio and some one-bedroom. Tenants will even have access to a gym, workspace, a sky lounge on the top floor, and more.
The asking price for the units? Anywhere from $1,600 to $2,400 per month.
"We're not necessarily meeting the specific need for affordable housing," Culley said. "There’s a shortage of housing across all price ranges, across all income ranges, and so we’re doing what we can."
Culley and the folks at Landry French Construction say what makes this project really special is the people.
"We interviewed a handful of construction companies, and most of them were from out of state, based in Massachusetts or even beyond, and Kevin at Landry French was the only man with the audacity to put up their hand and say, ‘We can do that,’ and then we had great faith in them," Culley said. "It's great. We always prefer to work with folks from Maine."
Kevin French, CEO of Landry French Construction, said the project has given him a huge sense of pride. However, it's been a bit of a balancing act.
"We have no place to put material, so once it comes off the truck, it immediately pretty much goes right on the building," French said. "The timing sequence is going to be spot on, or you're gonna block the roads and have a real nightmare."
"Being a native from Maine, it’s really cool to be a part of history," French added.
To learn more and see inside 201 Federal St., watch the story below.