Conversations with Councilor Michniewicz: Kate and Alison met again with District 1 Councilor Sarah Michniewicz to walk through GPL’s exhibit (Portland by Land, Portland by Sea: How Transportation Shapes a City, on display at the Portland Public Library through the end of March) and discuss several topics related to her district. We appreciate her perspective on preservation issues throughout the city.
“Out of Harm’s Way” Network: Alison has joined an emerging network of advocates dedicated to finding climate resilient solutions for Maine’s coastline. This diverse group is dedicated to creating a strong foundation for a larger network that will bring a variety of experts to the table to assess risk factors, review case studies and best practices, and explore options for protecting people, property, and infrastructure from water. The group will share more information soon about how to participate in the network.
Lee Humiston and the Maine Military Museum: Last fall we celebrated outstanding people and projects at our annual Preservation Awards. Lee Humiston, Founder and Curator of the Maine Military Museum and Learning Center, was the recipient of an award for Storytelling but was unable to attend our ceremony. Staff recently visited the museum and toured the exhibits with Lee who shared his deep dedication to telling military stories and protecting artifacts and mementos from every American armed conflict since the Revolution. Preserving material culture, like the items in the museum, creates a connection to history and allows future generations to learn from difficult moments of human experiences so that we may make more informed decisions in the future. If you have not yet experienced this unique museum we encourage you to check it out. You can also support the museum by purchasing books at the ongoing used book sale, making a donation, or ordering a Memorial Plate for any current or past military member that will be displayed at the museum.
Reimagining Franklin Street: After participating in public engagement meetings and open houses last year, GPL staff has been monitoring progress on the City of Portland’s effort to update the street design and land use plan for Franklin Street, a major thoroughfare on the peninsula. While the project’s website does not show much in the way of updates at this time, there is a presentation made to the Bayside Neighborhood Association that is linked at the bottom of this page. While the City continues to develop a proposal we have requested updates and will continue to engage with the project and related stakeholders to ensure that preservation priorities are included in the final proposal. More to come!
Open Call for New Trustees closes on the 13th: If you find our advocacy work interesting and care about historic preservation in Portland, you may be a great fit for our Board or Trustees. Learn more about our Open Call and how to express your interest here. Submit your Interest Form by March 13th!
White House Demolition: GPL submitted comments to both the U.S. Council of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in opposition to the plans for an oversized ballroom addition to the White House. The CFA, all members of which were recently replaced by President Trump, voted to approve both the conceptual plans and the final project, without further review and despite 2,000 comments, nearly all of which were opposed. The National Capital Planning Commission met on March 5th and received 32,000 negative public comments. They delayed their vote until April 2nd. Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, shared a statement ahead of the meeting that read, “Listening to the views of the American people and incorporating the best of our ideas will result in a better overall project as it builds a shared sense of purpose on a contentious issue. Getting to this point takes patience. Democratic deliberation is slow. It’s also the hallmark of a free people.”
Foreside: After learning that the developer of Foreside, a major development along Portland’s waterfront that includes a historic district, is seeking approval for a cogen power plant on the site, we have reached out for updates and clarification of next steps in the approval process for changes to the approved site plan. The developer has not yet filed applications with the Planning Board or Historic Preservation Board, so more information is needed to assess the appropriateness of these power generation facilities.
