Portsmouth Whole Foods Design Revealed

The new Whole Foods Market development in downtown Portsmouth also includes 658 new parking spaces, a hotel, conference center, condominiums and a public park.

Chris Thompson, principal partner of Harbor Corp., revealed additional details about the project that he said will create hundreds of jobs. He said there's a finalized agreement with the new hotel operator, but he would not reveal its identity.

Thompson said the project is scheduled to break ground on Sept. 14, 2014.

“It will be a significant job generator,” he said.

He also said the new triangular-shaped development will be located on a surface parking lot located across the street from the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel between Deer Street and Russell Street. A public park where art will be displayed would also be developed on Green Street adjacent to Market Street, he said.

Overall, Thompson said they want to be sensitive to the city's desire for new development projects to be shorter and blend in aesthetically with the existing architecture.

“When our group developed the Sheraton Hotel over a quarter of a century ago our goal was to go with architecture that would stand up over the test of time," Thompson said. “Our goal is to create a great looking building, not just a good looking building, and one that does honor the rich history of Portsmouth.”

Thompson said the project calls for the 40,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market to be in the center of the new building. He said 170 of the 658 parking spaces will be located in an underground parking garage beneath Whole Foods Market where patrons will have free two-hour parking. A 13,000 square foot conference center will be located on the second level above Whole Foods Market, he added.

Thompson said a 98-room boutique style hotel will be located on the third level along with 14 condominiums. “We are planning to pursue LEED certification for the project,” he said.

Thompson said all of his company's research shows the city can support additional hotel rooms and condominiums despite the development of several other similar projects downtown.

"Our research says there is plenty of demand," he said. “I think that Portsmouth is going to continue to grow as a great place to visit and to live.”

Thompson said he hoped to have more specific figures in January that would detail the number of jobs that will be generated by this project.

Whole Foods officials announced in November they will construct a 40,000-square-foot store at the site. It will open sometime in 2016 and employ 175 workers.