Greater Portland Landmarks

Last night this small non-profit historic preservation advocacy organization, represented by our all-volunteer Board of Trustees and Advocacy Committee members, was blown away by the public showing in the City Council Chambers. THANK YOU!!!

For those who were unable to attend, the City Council did not vote on the original order. Two city councilors offered a last-minute amendment to the order, which according to corporation council, needed to be checked to ensure it could pass legal review. Unfortunately, the new amendment was in favor of ignoring both the Historic Preservation and Planning Board findings and reclassifying the structure as non-contributing to pave the way to demolish 142 Free Street.

Our team is assessing this new amendment, reflecting on the evening, and appreciates your patience as we learn more to prepare for the May 20 City Council meeting when the issue will be brought forward again.

One hour left! Thank you again to those who have already lent their voices through written comment. Today we ask for one last time, please speak up in favor of the City of Portland's Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The City Council meeting begins at 5 pm, City Council Chambers, 389 Congress Street
2nd Floor of City Hall. We expect it to be a very packed house, so please be patient and prepared. Each person is allotted 3 minutes for verbal testimony, it goes by quickly. Please remember to state name and legal address.

If you are unable to attend in person, ZOOM is also an option for public testimony, join the meeting here: https://portlandme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6488/media

If you would like to refresh your memory on the other FAQs, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

We've heard your questions over the last 8 months. Today we will finish answering them here to prepare for TONIGHT's 5pm Portland City Council meeting to consider the order to reclassify 142 Free Street.

If you are unable to attend in person, ZOOM is also an option for public testimony, join the meeting here: https://portlandme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6488/media

If you are interested in learning more about the intersection of climate and building reuse, see this excellent article, https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/stories/case-for-reuse-carbon-reductions/ The non-profit group behind the article has also created the CARE tool, https://www.caretool.org/ now available to anyone weighing the climate crisis and the links to demolition/rebuild or reuse/renovation.

If you would like to refresh your memory on the other FAQs, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

We've heard your questions over the last 8 months. Today we will finish answering them here to prepare for TONIGHT's 5pm Portland City Council meeting to consider the order to reclassify 142 Free Street.

As a small non-profit advocacy group (with only 2 part time staff and a dedicated group of volunteer advocacy committee and Board of Trustees members) we appreciate the support our community has provided so far. We ask for this support one more time in person tonight!

If you are unable to attend in person, ZOOM is also an option for public testimony, join the meeting here: https://portlandme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6488/media

If you would like to refresh your memory on the other FAQs, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

We've heard your questions over the last 8 months. Today we will finish answering them here to prepare for TONIGHT's 5pm Portland City Council meeting to consider the order to reclassify 142 Free Street.

As a small non-profit advocacy group (with only 2 part time staff and a dedicated group of volunteer advocacy committee and Board of Trustees members) we appreciate the support our community has provided so far. We ask for this support one more time in person tonight!

Historic buildings can breed new innovation in architecture. This innovation can lead to highly effective buildings which address all of a community's needs! There are countless examples of art museums across the world embracing innovation and history, here are three fantastic examples in the US.

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA: https://www.pem.org/historic-houses/east-india-marine-hall
The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City: https://www.themorgan.org/architecture
The Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, NY: https://buffaloakg.org/about/our-campus

This vote isn't Landmarks against new development, there are scenarios which are a win for history and a win for new development!! IT can be both!

If you would like to refresh your memory on the other FAQs, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

ARCHITECTURE IS ART.

142 Free Street is not universally loved by those who casually observe it. That fact doesn't mean it is a piece of art which should be destroyed. The Smithsonian wisely states, "architecture reflects the societies and cultural values it originates from."

The Historic Preservation Ordinance was created to allow a framework to keep tangible reflections of Portland's past all around us to interpret, to learn, and to grow from in our everyday lives.

Tomorrow, May 6 at 5 pm, please join Landmarks in advocating that 142 Free Street NOT change its contributing status and help keep the Historic Preservation Ordinance a strong for our future.

Tomorrow is the day! City Council will take public comment on Order 180-23/24: Regarding Application to Reclassify 142 Free Street as a
Non-Contributing Structure in the Congress Street Historic District.

We're continuing to share FAQs so everyone is prepared for their 3 minute time to advocate for the importance of the Historic Preservation Ordinance! Write your thoughts down today!

If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

Landmarks is sharing FAQs to prepare for Monday, May 6's City Council meeting. Our advocacy volunteers need your voices to join with theirs!

We hope answering these questions will give you the confidence to come to City Hall and give public testimony against the reclassification of 142 Free Street.

If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

We hope you're out enjoying (Westbrook, Ellsworth, Castine, Waldoboro all gave tours starting after 2pm!) Check out the descriptions here https://janeswalkme.org/find-a-walk/)

Landmarks will continue to share FAQs to prepare for the Monday, May 6 City Council vote. If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

While you're out enjoying (find your afternoon tour here https://janeswalkme.org/find-a-walk/) Landmarks will continue to share FAQs to prepare for the Monday, May 6 City Council vote.

If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

is here! Find one of the many free tours in your community today! Head to https://janeswalkme.org/find-a-walk/ if you still need to pick the best one for you!

Landmarks is sharing some FAQs in regards to the May 6 vote of the City of Portland's City Council vote on the request to reclassify 142 Free Street.

We hope answering these questions will give people the confidence they need to speak out against the Portland Museum of Art's ill advised plan to demolish the structure.

If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

Landmarks is sharing some FAQs in regards to the May 6 vote of the City of Portland's City Council vote on the request to reclassify 142 Free Street.

We hope answering these questions will give people the confidence they need to speak out against the Portland Museum of Art's ill advised plan to demolish the structure.

If you have interest in reading entire "Trends in Portland's Historic Districts" report, please look for the document here. https://portland.civilspace.io/en/projects/historic-preservation-impact-study

If you want to read all the the FAQs immediately, please visit https://bit.ly/FAQS_142FreeStreet

Gayla finally made it under the tree . . . to finish her journey towards a loving forever home.

The true Christmas tree tradition can be traced to 16th-century Germany. However, most Americans refused to adopt the tradition at first because they believed it to be attached to pagan beliefs. It wasn’t until England's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (who was of German heritage) were shown in a popular newspaper in 1848 standing around a Christmas tree with their family that the tradition became more widely embraced. Decorations like ornaments (often imported from Germany) became more popular in the late 1800s, and homemade decorations like cookies and garlands (popcorn, berries, nuts, and more) became decorating staples.

However you celebrate Christmas or any special holiday, Greater Portland Landmarks wishes you one filled with love, just as Gayla will now experience forever.

Happy Holidays!

Most of you correctly noted Gayla's "last official stop" was the Portland Observatory. We have been the stewards of this maritime tower (hmm, ugh, not a lighthouse!) for many years. A route wouldn't be complete without a visit. (It also makes a ride on Santa's sleigh, https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map, much easier to hitch!)

The Portland Observatory is the only remaining maritime signal station in the United States. Built in 1807 by retired sea captain Lemuel Moody, it served as a communication station for Portland’s busy harbor. It was in service for over 116 years until wide-spread use of the two-way radio made it obsolete. It was designated a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2006.

Tonight Gayla has made it to her final destination where tomorrow one little boy will be so excited to meet her! Where is Gayla now?