Saving THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING AT 142 FREE STREET (PORTLAND)

The Issue

The Portland Museum of Art has requested the former Chamber of Commerce Building (also known as the former Children’s Museum located at 142 Free Street) be reclassified as a “non-contributing” structure in the Congress Street Historic District. If approved by the City Council, reclassification would allow the PMA to demolish the building as a part of its major expansion plan.

The Congress Street Historic District was created in 2009, ten years before the PMA purchased the building at 142 Free Street. The building was classified as a “contributing structure” within the district after a thorough review of all buildings in the district, using the standards set out in Portland’s Historic Preservation Ordinance.

Reclassification of a building in a historic district is a three phased process, requiring approval first from the City of Portland’s Historic Preservation Board, then the Planning Board, and finally the City Council.

On November 1, the Portland Historic Preservation Board reaffirmed that the building meets the criteria for a contributing structure in the Congress Street Historic District. (Thank you to everyone who spoke, wrote, or emailed in support of the building’s preservation. The public support against reclassification was overwhelming.  Your participation made a difference!)

On February 27, Portland Planning Board voted 5 - 1 against the Portland Museum of Art’s request to reclassify the former Chamber of Commerce/Children’s Museum building. (Once again, THANK YOU! Your strong showing of support at workshops and public hearings, your messages, comments and testimony, letters to the editor, and much more over the last few months have made all the difference!)

It’s now on to the final (and most important) stage of this fight; the issue will be passed to the City Council. More information on how to contact the City Council is listed in the ‘What You Can Do’ section below.

Our Position

Greater Portland Landmarks does not oppose the expansion of the PMA campus, which is already home to several historic buildings. However, we find no basis for reclassification of the 142 Free Street building as a non-contributing structure and firmly believe the PMA can achieve its expansion plans without demolishing it.

We certainly are willing to work with the PMA to pursue a revised plan that maintains the integrity of the Congress Street Historic District and Portland’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. The former Chamber of Commerce building clearly meets four of the six criteria (although only one is necessary) for designation as a contributing structure, both in terms of its architectural and historic significance within the Congress Street Historic District and its retention of the required level of integrity to its 1926 renovation by John Calvin Stevens.

Additionally, the decision to reconsider the designation of the former Chamber of Commerce Building is significant not only for this issue, but for maintaining the integrity of the ordinance and the preservation of other contributing structures throughout the City’s historic districts.

The City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance clearly states in Section 17.5.9 “The standards for recission or amendment applied by the Historic Preservation Board, Planning Board, and City Council shall be limited to those provided in Subsections 17.4.1 (A) and (B) and Subsection 17.4.2.”

You can read our opinion on how the building meets those standards in our September 28, 2023 letter to the Historic Preservation Board here.

Landmarks has retained a prominent Portland law firm to advise us. They have counseled us that the decision to redesignate 142 Free Street must be based on the Criteria in the Ordinance. It cannot be based on any other document, such as the new comprehensive plan, “Portland’s Plan 2030”.

The standards for recission are clearly defined. The Planning Board and the City Council are limited to making their decisions based only on the Ordinance, the same standards the Historic Preservation Board applied in making their November decision. 

While 142 Free Street is the focus of our advocacy, the issue is much larger: Can the City of Portland ignore its own clearly defined ordinance to the benefit of one property owner? The land use rules are clearly set so everyone knows what is possible when they acquire a protected property. There are many opinions on whether the proposed or the existing building is preferable. However, the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, which has been instrumental in Portland’s resurgence over the last thirty years, is very clear. We will do all we can to defend the enforcement of the Ordinance and ask you to stand with us.

Press

Greater Portland landmarks statements

Quick Links

What You can do