Neighborhood Tour with Council Michniewicz: GPL's Executive Director (Kate) and Advocacy Director (Alison) spent a sunny afternoon walking through the charming streets of Bayside with District 1 Councilor Sarah Michniewicz. They learned more about neighborhood dynamics and discussed the history of buildings and blocks. GPL would like to thank Councilor Michniewicz for the excursion and for her interest in the history of Portland!
Moratorium Vote Postponed: Due to technical difficulties, many of the agenda items on the July City Council agenda were postponed until August, including the vote to approve a moratorium on new event venues that would impact the Music Hall proposal in Portland. In the meantime, plans are moving forward for all three buildings on the block (between City Hall at Top of the Old Port parking lot) including the Music Hall, a hotel, and a condo building. GPL will continue to engage with these proposals as they progress.
Historic Preservation Fund: After the Historic Preservation Fund from the FY2025 approved budget was finally released, we are advocating for level funding in the FY2026 budget that is currently being drafted in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The House's version retains the funding so we urged Senator Collins to keep the budget for historic preservation as it is currently proposed. These funds support statewide preservation commissions that make much of the preservation work possible, such as historic tax credit projects, National Register Nominations, partnerships and grants to organizations like GPL, and much more. It is critical that the funding remains in this bill.
2025 Preservation Awards Celebration: We are excited to announce our 2025 Preservation Awards and invite all who value historic places to our 60th Birthday Bash and Awards ceremony on October 28th. Our biannual awards program recognizes outstanding examples of adaptive reuse, restoration, contextual new construction, innovations in preservation technology, storytelling, and place making as well as the dedicated individuals who make this work possible. Learn more about our winners and save the date for the event! Sponsorships are available, tickets go on sale soon.
Union Station Clock: Union Station Railroad Depot was built in 1888 at St. Johns and Congress streets in Portland. It was the last stop of several rail lines but as rail use declined, the station became less utilized and was demolished in 1961 for a strip mall. The loss of this Romanesque Style masonry building prompted the creation of Greater Portland Landmarks. The clock survived the demolition and was relocated in 1982 to a custom-built structure in Congress Square Park, not far from its original location. As the City prepares for a renovation of the park, GPL became aware that the clock's structure would be demolished. We are in the process of gathering information about plans for the clock to ensure that it is properly dismantled, packaged, stored, and ideally relocated to a publicly accessible location. Let us know where you think it should go!
Protect Nonprofit Nonpartisanship: GPL signed on to a national letter calling on the Trump Administration to protect nonprofit nonpartisanship. Like all 501(c)3 organizations, GPL is prohibited from endorsing or opposing partisan political candidates for public office. The Trump Administration is attempting to exempt houses of worship and religious organizations from this requirement. Weakening this provision would jeopardize the integrity of the entire nonprofit community and escalate a broader effort to dismantle the longstanding expectation that charitable organizations stay above the political fray in both practice and principle.
