In 2022, Denny’s corporate decided to close its Portland location at 1091 Congress Street indefinitely, citing the sale of the building. Fast forward to January of this year, the Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) announced the purchase of the building for $2.3 million. Their intention is to make room for a roundabout near Exit 5 of Interstate 295. With swift action, the former Denny’s was demolished within the month. This initiative is part of a larger plan to reconnect the Libbytown neighborhood, which was divided and displaced in the 1960s by the construction of Interstate 295.
Subsequently, both the Maine DOT and the city of Portland jointly applied for a $22.4 million grant from the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant application outlines a total project cost of $31 million. Alongside the roundabout, the project aims to restore two-way traffic to Congress Street and Park Avenue, currently configured as one-way streets. Furthermore, enhancements such as improved traffic lights, signage, crosswalks, transit stops, bike lanes, and pedestrian amenities are planned. However, the completion of the project is not anticipated until 2029.
