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Poll results

Plans for a $100 million expansion of the Portland Museum of Art have sparked divided opinions because of what it wants to do next door. And the issues involved extend farther than Portland.

The expansion would more than double the size of the 140-year-old museum. Key to the project would be the proposed razing of 142 Free St., an adjacent building that dates to 1830. It housed the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine from 1993 until the PMA purchased the property in 2019.

The proposed demolition would require the city to reclassify the structure as "non-contributing" to the Congress Street Historic District. Critics say that's wrong and defeats the purpose of Portland's historic preservation ordinance.

Other people say 142 Free St. has been altered so much that it no longer has historical significance. The demolition would serve a greater good, they argue, by allowing the PMA expansion to move forward — potentially revitalizing the downtown.

Now the proposal may go before the Portland Planning Board as soon as Feb. 13.

As communities throughout Maine grapple with the need to build — whether housing, infrastructure or a new museum wing — the outcome in Portland could influence how we weigh the value of historic preservation.

Should Portland let 142 Free St. be razed, as part of the art museum's expansion plans?
Yes. The benefits of the proposed demolition outweigh the loss of the building. (45%, 269 VOTES)
No. The proposal violates the preservation ordinance and its intent. (48%, 286 VOTES)
Undecided. It's a complex question, and I need to know more. (5%, 30 VOTES)
No opinion. I don't think the issue is relevant to me and my community. (2%, 11 VOTES)
Poll Description

Plans for a $100 million expansion of the Portland Museum of Art have sparked divided opinions because of what it wants to do next door. And the issues involved extend farther than Portland.

The expansion would more than double the size of the 140-year-old museum. Key to the project would be the proposed razing of 142 Free St., an adjacent building that dates to 1830. It housed the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine from 1993 until the PMA purchased the property in 2019.

The proposed demolition would require the city to reclassify the structure as "non-contributing" to the Congress Street Historic District. Critics say that's wrong and defeats the purpose of Portland's historic preservation ordinance.

Other people say 142 Free St. has been altered so much that it no longer has historical significance. The demolition would serve a greater good, they argue, by allowing the PMA expansion to move forward — potentially revitalizing the downtown.

Now the proposal may go before the Portland Planning Board as soon as Feb. 13.

As communities throughout Maine grapple with the need to build — whether housing, infrastructure or a new museum wing — the outcome in Portland could influence how we weigh the value of historic preservation.

  • 596 Votes
  • 2 Comments
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2 Comments

  • Tony Payne
    January 29, 2024

    I photographed the demolition of the Libby Building on Congress Square that made way for the new museum. Its facade is honored by the current design of the Portland Museum of Art. While the Libby Building had stood for years housing a variety of businesses, it had no particular thread to explain its significance to Portland's heritage. Similarly, though the one-time chamber of commerce building on Free Street has housed various non-profits, it isn't a site of such significance that it's restoration and repurposing would become a must-see landmark.

    In contrast, the proposed modern addition to the I.M. Pei-designed museum would be a significant addition to the cultural fabric of the Congress Square District, Portland's "heart of the arts". I am a huge fan of historic properties having managed nearly 10 1860s buildings in the Old Port during the Old Port's 1980s resurgence. That said, keeping the old chamber building would be akin to preserving Joe and Nino's Circus Room which for many long-time Portland residents was a significant landmark that now is the lovely Tommy's Park. Let the museum continue its immeasurably positive contribution to Portland's reputation with a significant landmark addition.

  • January 29, 2024

    Why can't they spend the money and expand into the building at 142?? Seems like a win, win. Oh wait, does that take too much common sense?