October 2, 2025

  • Old Port Square: Portland’s Planning Board held a public workshop for East Brown Cow’s Old Port Sq. proposal on September 23rd. GPL staff attended and Director of Advocacy, Alison Frazee, provided public comment. After meeting with the East Brown Cow team on several occasions and reviewing the project with our internal working group, GPL seeks to provide input to the Planning Board’s consideration of this proposed tower. The project is as of right following zoning changes approved via ReCode and provides a tangible example of what those new heights allow, directly adjacent to the Old Port historic district. We urged the Planning Board to consider the visual impacts of this juxtaposition, while also noting several strong aspects of the proposal including the design and materials of the tower, the porosity of the site into the historic district, the opportunity for public access at the top of the tower, and the fact that it does not involve demolition of a historic building. As the project progresses and more studies are submitted, GPL will be paying attention to the wind and shadow impacts, the construction plan, and other potential impacts to historic resources, and providing further comment. While we feel that a well-designed tower brings a variety of benefits for the city, we know that many residents are struggling with the idea of a change in Portland’s scale. Our city has evolved over time- from a native homeland to a colonial settlement, ravaged by fire and rebuilt more than once, altered by new technology and influenced by trends, leaned into for wartime preparations, left behind by economic shifts, and revitalized through preservation efforts and new investment. Portland has adapted with each chapter. We believe that we can write new chapters without losing the narrative, the characters, and the charm that make Portland’s story so special.

  • Hay & Peabody’s Clock: In 1925 the Hay and Peabody Funeral Home purchased the Mellen E. Bolster House and opened their first funeral home on Portland’s peninsula. To commemorate the occasion and twenty-five years of business for the company, they erected this four-dial street clock. The clock is one of eighty street clocks produced by Seth Thomas Clock Company, however only a few were made that have a combination mechanical clockwork and electric motor like this one. When the funeral home closed in 2005 the property sat vacant for over a decade and the clock fell into disrepair, joining our Places in Peril list in 2017. Thankfully, both the building and the clock have now been beautifully restored!

    GPL is joining with The Francis hotel and the Maine Historical Society to celebrate 100 years of this stunning timepiece. On October 22 at 5:00 pm at the Five of Clubs lounge a toast and remarks will begin the celebration followed with an invitation to view the “100 Years, 100 Works” project.

  • Portland Society for Architecture: GPL’s Executive Director and Advocacy Director had a great meeting with leadership at PSA to discuss alignment in our missions, shared goals, and possibilities for joint programing. PSA was founded in 2006 and actively encourages innovation and vision in the built environment of greater Portland through education, engagement, and sharing of expertise with community members, design professionals, and civic leaders. We look forward to working more closely with PSA over the coming months.

Filming with East Brown Cow’s Jacob Soley