Wanting to forego the usual big-box shopping center for this 100-acre site along I-95 near Portland, developer Richard Berman spent two years trying to fashion a project that would "actually build community," he said. In the end, however, it appeared he and the city would settle on a less ambitious plan — one that would look much better than a strip mall, but which would lack the social interstitching Berman originally envisioned. Doing It the Hard Way Developer finds road less traveled rather bumpy s southern Maine's building economy started to surge two years ago, Richard Berman seemed to have his ducks lined up. He had an option on a prime site just outside Portland — 100 acres at Interstate 95's Exit 10
