The City of Portland Planning Board has given the green light to a new project in downtown Portland that will combine affordable housing and child care services. The proposed six-story building will feature 60 apartments, with 80 percent dedicated to affordable housing. The lower floors will house Youth & Family Outreach, providing child care and pre kindergarten services for up to 110 children.
The development will involve demolishing the vacant former Maria’s Ristorante building on Cumberland Avenue, as well as the nearby Preble Street Chapel, which currently serves as the home for Youth & Family Outreach. While the project still needs to secure a tax credit from the Maine State Housing Authority, developers are optimistic about breaking ground by next summer, with plans to open the building by late 2026.