By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

The Maine Mall Revitalization project, which proposes to bring a
14-screen movie theater, three restaurants and an additional 43,000
square feet of retail space to the area, has the potential to receive
final approval from the South Portland Planning Board next week.

General Growth Properties (GGP), which owns the Maine Mall, requested
postponement at the Sept. 25 planning board meeting to allow for more
time for Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) approvals. A
public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 23.

Jim Graham, GGP’s director of public affairs, said the project entails
converting the former Filene’s building into a 14-screen, 3,200 seat
“state of the art” movie theater. While GGP has been in talks with
Regal Cinemas, Graham said they have not made any final decisions about
which company will occupy the space.

Just down the road from the Maine Mall, construction of another movie theater is scheduled to begin shortly.

Bob Collins, director of marketing for Zyacorp Companies, which owns
the Cinemagic stadium theaters franchise, said construction at the
former Regal Cinema site in the Shops at Clarks Pond is scheduled to
begin this month.

The eight-screen theater will feature stadium seating, digital sound
and projection and a café with food offerings beyond the traditional
popcorn, soda and candy, Collins said.  

Collins said the theater is expected to be complete in January 2008.

Zyacorp, headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire, has signed an
agreement with the IMAX Corporation to build two new IMAX theaters, one
of which will be built in southern Maine. Collins said Zyacorp hopes to
announce the location this month.

The Maine Mall plan also calls for the expansion of the JC Penney
store, the creation of a 254-space parking field in the former wooded
lot at the southern corner of the Maine Mall and the construction of
three new restaurants.

Graham said two of the restaurants will be built at the corner of
Gorham Road and Philbrook Avenue and the third will be constructed
inside the mall, next to the new theater.

“We are currently negotiating with a number of restaurant operators,
but don’t have any to announce yet,” Graham said on Wednesday.

South Portland Planning Director Tex Haeuser said initially the plans
included a $1 million storm water management system to meet DEP
requirements, which he said are “quite stiff given we’re in the Long
Creek watershed.”

With intervention from conservation group, an agreement was reached
with GGP to go beyond the DEP requirements and implement additional
water quality improvements.

Haeuser said city staff had requested a “green” roof design for the
former Filene’s building such as the installation of low planters on
the roof to absorb rainwater.

“General Growth Properties looked at that and came to the conclusion it
wouldn’t do very much,” Haeuser said. “They didn’t think it was
feasible in terms of the benefit, but instead are going to be
contributing $30,000 toward a study of how roof storm water could be
managed and treated relative to Long Creek and throughout the city.”

Haeuser said the study ultimately could lead to ordinance changes.

“We have some confidence that this $30,000 study will be practical and will be used,” he said.