At least 700 people have signed a petition seeking to pause the sale process on the former studio and home of Robert Indiana on the island of Vinalhaven in Knox County.
Indiana, who died in 2018, stipulated in his will that he wanted the 7,000-square-foot building to be used as a museum. The Star of Hope Foundation, which he established to oversee his estate, recently put the Vinalhaven building on the market. It is located at 46 Main St., in the island’s central business district.
Indiana, who may be best known for his LOVE sculptures, lived in the former Odd Fellows Hall/Star of Hope Lodge for more than three decades.
The petition, posted on change.org, seeks a 90-day pause on any efforts to sell the building, which is listed by Portland-based Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Real Estate for $1.4 million.
The petition
“We write as concerned members of the Vinalhaven community regarding the public listing of The Lodge, one of our town’s most prominent and historically significant buildings,” says the online petition.
“We respectfully ask the Star of Hope to hold off on the sale of the building for a finite period of time while a group of dedicated community members work together to try to find a viable path to purchase, preserve, and restore the property in a way that will benefit our community, including as a space for a community center.”
While acknowledging that the Star of Hope Foundation holds the decision-making power, the petitioners appealed to the organization to “provide a lasting resource for the residents of Vinalhaven. The space could serve as a gathering place for community members young and old, offering opportunities for events, education, meetings, activities, celebrations and more.
“We are not asking the Foundation to assume this responsibility. We are simply asking for the gift of time to see if the community can make this happen.”
As of Wednesday morning, the petition had 728 signatures and the listing remains active.
