Biddeford Revealed (In pictures!) (Portland, Lewiston: condos, house, live)

[lookinforahome]

Yea I never really liked Maine until recently. I'm starting to realize how much I enjoy it and am thinking about coming back after college. Anyways though, I drove through Biddeford again today, it was bustling and had a good mood as last time, probably due to the weather. I saw a store that was very recently vacant with people putting a business sign up, which was good news. I also found another one that I didn't put up before. It's a new thing I believe:

[elston]

Look at the beautiful brick work over the window and under the eaves!......I am nutz about that kind of detail....it served no real function other than pride of workmanship, pride of ownership.....(pehaps to shield the window from water?)....It softens the whole look and adds "loveliness" into a brick upon brick world. Do you suppose what appears to be green marble on the lower level is a modern facade?

[lookinforahome]

I almost think that it isn't original, but not very new? If that makes sense? Because I saw some historical pictures of downtown Biddeford and most had the same facades they do now with some changes. My guess is that was added in the early to mid part of the 1900's. Could be wrong though. I'm trying to find a website like "John Haley's Saco," but for Biddeford. No luck so far.

[lookinforahome]

I was in Manchester today (pictures in the NH forum). Biddeford and Manchester are so much alike! Old mill towns, the city hall looks oddly similar, lots of churches, some row houses, huge mill complexes. I was amazed at the similarities! Except for the fact that Biddeford is a 6th of the size of Manchester and has no high rises

[lookinforahome]

Goods news!

Maine Daily News - Portland Maine News | Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

[K-Luv]

Nice pics, however very subjective. Biddeford is not known as the armpit of Maine for nothing. You all know what I am talking about.

[elston]

Why does anyone have to run down and bad mouth someone elses home? I just dont get it.

Maine has many old mill towns with rich history and interesting archetecture.....full of wonderful people, places and memories and they are all someone's "hometown".

[lookinforahome]

I know it isn't the nicest of places but I think it has a lot of potential. It is starting to turn around. Artists are moving in, the mills are finally being redeveloped, all the empty stores are starting to fill back in, and a lot of people are starting to put time and money into Biddeford. There was recently a 100,000 dollar grant to Heart of Biddeford (the downtown's association) to develop a cultural plan. On the old mill plan, there were plans for new parks, a riverwalk, things like that to beautify the area. Also parking garages scattered around downtown. Like I said, it may not be the cleanest or richest part of Maine, but I think with a some work and a little bit of money, it will lose its reputation.

[Nie0214]

Originally Posted by lookinforahome

I know it isn't the nicest of places but I think it has a lot of potential. It is starting to turn around. Artists are moving in, the mills are finally being redeveloped, all the empty stores are starting to fill back in, and a lot of people are starting to put time and money into Biddeford. There was recently a 100,000 dollar grant to Heart of Biddeford (the downtown's association) to develop a cultural plan. On the old mill plan, there were plans for new parks, a riverwalk, things like that to beautify the area. Also parking garages scattered around downtown. Like I said, it may not be the cleanest or richest part of Maine, but I think with a some work and a little bit of money, it will lose its reputation.

They are also trying to integrate UNE students into Biddeford more. I live in Saco, but Biddo does have its charm.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Nice pics, however very subjective. Biddeford is not known as the armpit of Maine for nothing. You all know what I am talking about.

No, I don't. Again, I'd like you to elaborate on this, please.

Is it crime? Because crime in the area is very low. The economy? Sure, it's heyday is behind it, but it's in no worse shape than any other mill town in Maine... not to mention, the economy is bad just about everywhere. Is it the people? If so, what's wrong with them? Architecture? Both have a nice blend of architecture and density downtown. They are also set along a gradually cascading river which stands in nice contrast to the industrial buildings.

This isn't the first time I've seen you knock Saco or Biddeford in these forums yet you tend do do so without any explanation. So again, what's so bad about Biddeford?

In all honesty, you're far from the first person I've heard bashing Biddeford, but most of them tend to do so with no actual legs to stand on in their argument, OR they base their opinion on what they have heard from a friend who heard it from his friends father who knew the cousin of the guy, "it" happened to.

I guess it's just curiousity, but WHY is Biddeford the "armpit" of Maine? I never seem to get anyone this far, they just like to say, "it IS" the armpit of Maine; but they can't piece together a real argument as to why (not one based on fact, anyway).

If I had to venture a guess, I think Biddeford and Saco get a bad name because they don't fit into any of the categorized stereotypes of a "Maine" town. Portland and Bangor are the "core cities." meaning that they serve as the economic centers of the state. They're where the airports, shopping, and "culture" are in Maine and that's the purpose they serve. Augusta is the political capital of the state. Biddeford and Saco aren't Mountain villages like Bethel, Kingfield, etc nor are they pictures of the typical rocky coast/ fishing village like Stonington, Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor, etc. They're not part of the backbone of agriculture like some of the communities in Aroostook Country are, nor are they the interesting border towns like Ft. Kent, Jackman, or Houlton. Saco and Biddeford don't uphold the general "image" of Maine and, to me anyway, that's one of the big things people in Maine don't like about the two towns. They're different and for some, that's a problem. To me, it's nice.

I hate the idea that everything has to be uniform or fit a certain stereotype to be interesting. I happen to like the grittyness of certain places and Biddeford and Lewiston are just about the only two places in Maine with any sort of grit about them anymore. "Grit" is character in many ways. It's also misunderstood by most. A lady by the name of Jane Jacobs remarked in the '60s, that a "slum" in Boston was actually a fun, vibrant neighborhood with a lot going on. That neighborhood, of course was the North End which today, is a major destination for visitors of Boston known for it's firm Italian roots. Jacobs noted that the different culture and residents enjoying their neighborhood made it a fun place to be. This description reminds me of Lewiston today. I love walking around downtown Lewiston. I tried Somali food for the first time there and I enjoy observing another culture in my home country. Biddeford has grit too. The shops and restuarants that line Main Street and take up residence in the old mills may not be dressed up the same way that the shops are in the Old Port (which, structurally, is a much lesser neighborhood than downtown Biddeford), but that doesn't mean they lack substance. Biddeford has a lot going for it and i tend to find that people who disagree with that or think it's an "arm pit" are either oblivious or adverse to anything inherently different. Sometimes you need to look outside the box in order to see the light.