OCEAN GATEWAY
PARKING GARAGE & RETAIL STRUCTURE
PORTLAND, MAINE

Simon Design Engineering was involved with the Ocean Gateway Garage Project from its inception in 2003, initially working as the Owner’s Agent developing concepts and aiding in the brokerage of a land swap with the City of Portland, Maine.

Completed in 2008, this seven-level, 720 space parking structure and 5,400 square foot retail is the first phase of a large City redevelopment that is meant to revitalize the eastern Portland downtown oceanfront area. From Owner’s Agent to Engineer of Record, Simon Design worked integrally with the development team from concept to closeout, and was able to provide the optimal approach and design continuity needed by Ocean Gateway to affordably incorporate retail space into the parking structure with potential additional development considerations. Provisions were made in the project design to allow for maximum flexibility in interfacing with future residential and commercial developments.

Built on a sloping downtown urban site, the parking structure wraps around the retail shell and touts a sixty-foot masonry fire wall with a custom, hand-painted mural and a large, neighbor-friendly park. Provisions were also made in the site planning to allow for maximum flexibility in the interface of the surrounding Ocean Gateway parcels.

The garage’s façade is an intricate design with a variety of components and materials weaved together to form an architecturally pleasing and structurally captivating appearance. Simon Design worked in cooperation with the Project Architect and Miscellaneous Metals Designer to create the unique façade design that conceals connections whilst allowing erection from either the interior or exterior of the garage.

SDE provides Ocean Gateway with the following services: Owner’s Agent, Financial Planning Assistance, Community Approval, Programming, Value Engineering, Parking Consulting, Structural Engineer of Record, Mechanical Engineering, Project Coordination, and Project Closeout.