Old Port

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For the Old Port of Montreal, see Old Port of Montreal.

Exchange Street, in the Old Port, viewed from the bottom of its hill, during the height of the summer tourist season.

The Old Port (sometimes known as the Old Port Exchange) is a district of Portland, Maine, known for its cobblestone streets, 19th century brick buildings and fishing piers. The district is filled with boutiques, restaurants and bars. Because of its reputation for nightlife, the Old Port overflows each weekend with revelers.

The Old Port transformed in the 1970s when real estate developers purchased derelict buildings and refurbished them into apartments, condos, offices and retail space. During that same decade, the Old Port Association formed and helped halt the city's demolition of historic buildings and lobbied for streetscape improvements. The Cumberland County Civic Center was built at the top of the Old Port in 1977. In the early 1980s, Congress passed the Economic Recovery Tax Act, which provided tax incentives for redevelopment projects, and spurred further development in the district.^[1]

In 2006, construction began on the Ocean Gateway project. When complete, Ocean Gateway will serve as the city's cruise ship terminal.