The Portland Campus Development Project is an element of the University of Southern Maine (USM) Master Plan, and includes the construction of a new McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, Portland Commons Residence Hall, and Residential Quad.

Project Timeline

Date RangeProject Milestone
June 2017Master Planning Committee forms and begins developing master plan
June 2018Project Initiation and formation of President Cummings P3 Committee, including USM and University of Maine System (UMS) committee members
October 2018Request for Proposal (RFP) for Consulting for P3 or Alternative Approach for Constructing Student Housing  
(February 2019) Brailsford & Dunlavey (B & D) from Boston, MA hired through a competitive bid process
November 2018Maine voters approved general obligation bonds, $19 million of which is intended for a new Career & Student Success Center at USM
January 2019UMS Trustees approve the University’s Master Plan; a new Career and Student Success Center and Residence Halls for the Portland campus are identified for development as part of the Master Plan
Planning and Building Committee meetings begin, including USM and UMS members
Meetings with Brailsford & Dunlavey continue
May 2019Briefing of Career & Student Success Center and Residence Hall Project to the Finance/Facilities/Technology (FFT) Committee of the UMS Board of Trustees (BOT)
Spring 2019Brailsford & Dunlavey conduct Market Demand Analysis for student housing in Portland
June 2019Brailsford & Dunlavey share Market Demand report to FFT Committee of the UMS Board of Trustees (BOT)
Request for Quote (RFQ) for Portland Campus Student Housing and Student Center Project is submitted; 6 proposals are received, with 5 moving forward to Request for Proposal (RFP)
July 2019USM begins work with VHB to study parking supply and demand; begins developing a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan
August 2019RFP for Portland Campus Student Housing and Student Center Project is submitted; 4 proposals are received and evaluated
November 2019Capstone Development Partners is selected through a competitive project process to develop the Career & Student Success Center and Portland Commons Residence Hall
Winter 2019 – 2020VHB completes preliminary Parking Analysis, first draft of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan, and first draft of Traffic Analysis

Date RangeProject Milestone
Winter 2019 — 2020VHB completes preliminary Parking Analysis, first draft of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan, and first draft of Traffic Analysis
January 2020USM delivers presentation to FFT Committee and full UMS Board of Trustees (BOT)
Successful Pre-Pre Application Meeting with Portland City Planning Director
January – Fall 2020UMS Board of Trustees (BOT) approves Pre-Development Agreement (PDA) and project advances
USM, UMS, and Capstone team advance project through design stages; reevaluate plans due to COVID-19; execute PDA
March 2020Portland Commons Residence Hall and Career & Student Success Center footprints are finalized
VHB completes final version of Parking Analysis; report is submitted to City of Portland
July 2020 — PresentCity of Portland Planning Board Process
Late-September 2020USM submits revised TDM plan to City of Portland, incorporating comments from the City, the Planning Board, and the neighborhood
November 10, 2020University receives site plan approval with a unanimous vote in favor of the project from the City of Portland Planning Board
February 24, 2021University receives approval from the University of Maine System Board of Trustees with a unanimous vote to spend up to $99.7 million to construct the Career and Student Success Center and Portland Commons Residence Hall.
March 22, 2021Demolition of the Woodbury Campus Center and Facilities Management building at 25 Bedford Street begins.
April 2021Excavation of the Portland Commons site begins
Spring 2023 (proposed)Construction to be completed. New McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, Portland Commons Residence Hall, and Residential Quad will open to students and the University community.

Project Team

The Portland Campus Development Project is coordinated through ongoing collaboration among University of Southern Maine (USM) and University of Maine System (UMS) offices. The project was established through the work of the President Cummings P3 Committee and continues under the management of the Building Committee. Each committee has worked within UMS policy and procedural guidelines to develop plans for the future Portland campus construction, including communications with, and approval from, the UMS Board of Trustees and City of Portland.

Building Committee

The Building Committee is comprised of personnel representing both USM and UMS:

  • Auxiliary Services, USM: Jeanne Paquette (Chair), Vice President, Corporate/Workforce Engagement
  • Capital Projects, UMS: Carolyn McDonough, Director of Capital Planning and Project Management
  • Capital Projects, UMS: Tom Blanchard, Assistant Director of Capital Planning and Project Management
  • Facilities, USM: John Souther, Executive Director of Facilities Management
  • Finance, USM: Paul A. Kuplinski, Director of Finance and Administration for Facilities
  • Finance, USM: Katie Andrews, Associate Financial Analyst
  • Finance, UMS: Tracy Elliot, Vice President of Finance and Controller
  • Operations, USM: Mike Hudson, Associate Vice President of Operations
  • Residential Life, USM: Christina Lowery, Director of Housing
  • Student Affairs, USM: Sarah Holmes, Assistant Provost for Student Affairs
  • Sustainability, USM: Aaron Witham, Director of Sustainability

To contact Alec Porteous, Building Committee Chair and USM Chief Operating Officer & Chief Business Officer, or to submit a question to the Building Committee, visit our Contact us page.

External Partners

Through standard UMS Strategic Procurement policy, the University has issued RFQs and RFPs to contract with several outside organizations who serve as partners in the planning, design, and construction process.

Logos for Capstone Development Partners, SMRT, and Elkus Manfredi
Logos for PC Construction, Capstone Management Partners, Woodard & Curran, and Steven Winter Associates Inc.
Logos for VHB and Bernstein and Shur