Last Call! The Call for Nominations for the 2026 Preservation Awards closes today. If you have an outstanding person, project, or program in mind but haven’t had the chance to nominate it, reach out and let us know. Email Alison Frazee – afrazee@portlandlandmarks.org
Portland Expo: Rob Kierstead, the Public Buildings Director for the City of Portland, gave Kate and Alison a tour of the Portland Expo. The City is considering the future of the historic Expo building on Park Avenue, home of the Maine Celtics, local middle and high school sports, concerts and shows, exhibitions, and much more. The Portland Expo was built in 1915 and is the oldest municipal arena in continuous operation in the United States. However, as Rob shared with us, the building has a number of critical maintenance needs and is not sufficiently meeting the needs of its numerous users. The rear of the building has been sinking for many years which has resulted in cracks and separation of materials. The HVAC system has partially failed and needs to be replaced, and potentially relocated to the roof of the front addition. The locker rooms and showers are shared by multiple teams, including both male and female athletes, and the weight room is insufficient. The truss system, while in good shape, cannot support the lighting and equipment for larger shows and concerts. These are just a few of the challenges of continued use of this space.

We believe that a broader study of the complex as a whole and potential combinations of new design and historic preservation will reveal several options and opportunities within the sports complex. This might include revitalization and possibly an addition to the Expo, a connector building to the ice arena, and/or a new structure on the Fitzpatrick parking lot which could provide state-of-the-art facilities for all of the teams, coaches, staff, and visitors to the various games and events. If a new structure is deemed necessary, building it on a parking lot rather than the footprint of the Expo would eliminate the need to disrupt activities for years if the existing building were replaced, and would allow for the restoration of the historic Expo for its existing uses (other than Maine Celtics games) and many more. We understand that the City is modifying its RFP to incorporate feedback from City Councilors who asked that it include analysis for reusing, not just replacing, the existing building. We are grateful for and encouraged by this support for a creative and sustainable approach here and remain confident that there’s a win-win solution for this sports complex that embraces the historic Expo while creating a dynamic site with both world-class new spaces and our legacy arena. We will continue to advocate for this positive result. Stay informed by signing up for notifications with the City and reading future editions of the Column.

Sacred Places: GPL was invited to two Portland churches recently to discuss preservation needs and ideas. The Williston-Immanuel United Church, owner of the beautiful, expansive 1928 structure at 156 High Street, is exploring solutions for roof repairs and options for the future of their site. The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 133 Pleasant Street is a late Federal period brick church whose steeple once housed a c. 1828 Paul Revere Co. of Boston bell. The steeple was removed in the 1970s and the congregation is exploring reconstruction options for the steeple and creative ways to publicly display the bell which now sits in the church’s vestibule.
We are considering hosting a workshop for regional congregations, or any group that stewards a religious building, to learn more about resources and funding, get professional guidance, explore case studies and visit area churches, and connect with other congregations. If this would be of interest to you, please reach out to Alison Frazee – afrazee@portlandlandmarks.org