The Exchange Building, Bangor

The redevelopment of the landmark Exchange Building contributes to the resurgence and vitality of downtown Bangor east of the Kenduskeag Canal, an area once ravaged by fire and later a victim of vacancy as businesses fled to the suburbs.

Boston architectural firm Peabody & Stearns designed the Exchange Building in the Classical Revival style, though its progressive six-story form was driven by the principles of the Chicago style. Upon completion in 1913, The Exchange Building provided office space for many of Bangor’s prominent lumber barons and other business leaders, encouraging economic progress from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1911.

As part of a 21st century campaign to reinvigorate downtown Bangor, High Tide Capital saw the potential in the Exchange Building and purchased it with a plan for rehab in 2022. The building had most recently been used for commercial office space but hadn’t been updated for at least 40 years. Fortunately, this left most of the original floor plan and historic interior intact. This included the central terrazzo stairs, office doors with fixed transoms, window and door trim, and hard wood flooring. The same was true on the exterior. The building’s buff tapestry brick, granite, cast-stone ornamentation, and decorative wooden elements had been retained and was in repairable condition.

In executing the project, the design team, including DJLU Architects and Hanson Historic Consulting, successfully met historic rehabilitation standards while achieving compliance with modern life safety requirements. Recognizing the declining demand for office space and the importance of creating housing, High Tide Capital looked to convert the upper floors into apartments. Egress requirements presented the biggest challenge to this plan. Deliberations between the team and the State Fire Marshall’s Office resulted in an unconventional solution to create areas of refuge on each floor so that the buildings singular stairs could be retained, and a new stair tower was not added to the historic exterior.

Bangor-based Pike Property Development served as the general contractor, overseeing the installation of all new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; minor repairs to the extensive masonry exterior; and essential replacement of the roof. The existing wood and steel windows were rehabilitated rather than replaced and protected by new storm windows. On the ground floor, three of the four commercial storefronts were rebuilt using historic documentation to better match the original condition. The terrazzo and hardwood flooring throughout the upper floors were uncovered and refinished, while the vaults and bathroom spaces were integrated into the apartment floor plan.

The viability of the project depended on state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits and was supported by investment and guidance from CEI, Preti Flaherty, and First National Bank.

Recognizing the challenges of workforce housing in Bangor, High Tide Capital gives priority for apartments at the Exchange Building to employees of Northern Light Health and its nearby Eastern Maine Medical Center.

The mixed-use project added to the vibrancy of downtown, with two new businesses on the ground floor and 20 new apartments on the upper stories, conveying once again that historic buildings can be repaired and repurposed for the changing needs of communities without compromising beautiful architecture and design.

Project Participants

• High Tide Capital

• Pike Project Development

• DJLU Architects

• Hanson Historic Consulting

• CEI

• Preti Flaherty

• First National Bank

Photo Credits: Connor Griffin, NoLimit Films; Hanson Historic Consulting

Johnson Hall, Gardiner

At one time, Maine boasted over 60 opera houses which were often found on the upper floors of core downtown buildings, each one of them serving as a hub for arts, culture, and social gatherings. The decades-long effort to save and rehabilitate the Johnson Hall Opera House has returned such a prized resource to Gardiner.

After striking it rich in the Gold Rush, Benjamin Johnson moved back to Gardiner and invested in a hotel that he renamed the Johnson House. In 1864, he built a two-story addition atop the livery stable, including a dining room, billiard room, and large hall. It emerged as an integral piece of the cultural fabric of Kennebec County, hosting hundreds of plays, musicians, and events. In 1888, he formally renovated the space into an elaborately decorated opera house. Johnson died in 1903 and his widow Henrietta carried on the business until her death in 1932. She upgraded the hall for moving pictures and silent film theatre with the help of Bunker & Savage architects in 1931. The last movie was shown upstairs in 1956, marking the end of an era.

Fast forward to the 1980s, when local citizens formed the nonprofit, Johnson Hall, Inc. to eventually purchase the property and restore it. Their efforts started on the ground floor, by first constructing a multi-purpose teaching and performance space. From 1984 until 2022, this remained the only usable space. The second and third floors had been taken down to their bones and there was no heat or water.

In 2013, the Board of Directors took the first steps towards realizing the dreams of its founding members, and hired Executive Director, Michael Miclon whose theatrical career began as a teenager at Johnson Hall. In just a few years with new leadership, a bold plan, and a successful start to the capital campaign, work commenced. The first phase of the project focused on the building’s exterior with Ganneston Construction serving as the general contractor. This included repointing of the brick masonry by Masonry Preservation Associates, restoration of 21 historic windows by Jacob’s Glass, and repair of the galvanized tin cornice. This was funded in part through the Maine Development Foundation’s REvitalizeME program and a grant from The 1772 Foundation in partnership with Maine Preservation.

The second phase of the project looked inward, with Archetype Architects leading the design team and Hanson Historic Consulting serving as preservation consultant. From 2022 to 2024, all three floors were completely rebuilt. The first-floor theater and box office were rehabilitated, while a spacious lobby, restrooms, and green room for the artists were added on the second floor. The third floor boasts a 400-seat theater with state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and acoustic treatments. As entire walls and floors were reframed, small details like the plastered proscenium edge were carefully maintained and restored. Funding from the Northern Border Regional Commission supported a new elevator to enhance public access, as well as a stage lift and loading dock.

A creative development partnership between Johnson Hall Inc. and Developers Collaborative provided access to both traditional foundation and philanthropic support, as well as state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. And it was needed. The challenges of the project were myriad: the COVID-19 pandemic, two floods, workforce shortages, inflation, supply chain issues, and even the war in Ukraine which affected steel prices. A project budget that began at $4.1 million ballooned to $9.3 million. CEI stepped up as a state tax credit investor, while Kennebec Savings Bank served as the federal tax credit investor–and jump started the capital campaign in 2016 with a $100,000 cash donation. The “Take a Seat” campaign provided a way for individual contributions to match grant awards.

In its first year of operation, the newly renovated theater brought in over 6,000 audience members from 36 states, 186 towns in Maine and four countries, making an immense impact on the regional economy and highlighting the importance of preserving the oldest operating opera house in Maine.

Project Participants

• Johnson Hall, Inc.

• Developers Collaborative

• Archetype Architects

• Hanson Historic Consulting

• Ganneston Construction

• Stone Mountain Systems

• Sutherland Conservation & Consulting

• Kennebec Savings Bank

• CEI

• Sampson & Company Ornamental Plasterers

Photo Credits: Johnson Hall, Inc.

Academy Building, Gorham

The Gorham Academy was founded in 1803, built on land provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (prior to Maine statehood). The private school was intended for boys, ages 10 and up, though girls were permitted to attend a year later. Constructed in 1806, design of the elegant, Federal-style Academy Building is attributed to Charles Vaughan, a noted early Maine architect, and its construction to local builder, Samuel Elder. It is now regarded as one of the finest rural, post-colonial educational buildings in New England.

The Academy could not compete with the rise of public schools and closed in 1878. Gorham’s public grammar school moved in just a few weeks later, using the building until 1905. The Western Normal School, one of many precursors to the University of Southern Maine, made use of the building as a dormitory and home of the Industrial Arts department. The high ceilings and large windows lent themselves for studio space.

Even with regular maintenance, two centuries left its mark. In 2019, Greater Portland Landmarks included the historic school structure on its Places in Peril list, citing repair needs and concerns over a master planning process that didn’t consider historic resources. In response, the university pursued a comprehensive assessment of the building and secured the help of Artifex Architects & Engineers, with back up from historic architects Malcolm Collins and Patrick Guthrie. The resulting Historic Structures Report detailed how the remarkably intact building would only need minor repairs to its side and rear elevations, while clear signs of water damage across the elaborate primary façade would require further examination once work commenced.

With the siding removed, the team discovered extensive rot across the timber frame behind the façade. The scope of work grew to include repair of the timber frame from the foundation to the second floor, in-kind replacement of sheathing and flush board, and complete reconstruction of the portico roof structure using traditional timber framing methods. The remainder of the portico was reconstructed, including its roof, ornamental fascia, cornices, friezes, and moldings. Lee Hoagland of Hoagland Restoration, based in nearby Buxton, balanced the traditional carpentry work with a blend of surgical precision and artful craft. Guided by historic documentation, a new wooden balustrade was fabricated. The doors and grand Doric columns were repaired, using an in-kind replacement approach when needed, while replica quoins were introduced on the corners of the façade.

A new roof ensured a secure building envelope, while a new reinforced concrete foundation under the portico allowed for resetting of the original granite deck. The spire atop the cupola, which was destroyed by a storm during the course of the project, was also replaced.

Amazingly, The Trustees of Gorham Academy, the entity that originally planned and constructed the building, still maintains ownership and lent active support, including access to Academy records.

Using their invaluable experience, in-depth research, and best practices, the stellar project team prepared the Academy Building for its next century–this time backed with a regular maintenance schedule. The preservation of the Academy Building also sets the precedent for a well-planned and sustainable program of preserving the other six National Register-listed buildings on the USM Gorham campus, and historic facilities across the University of Maine System.

Project Participants

• University of Southern Maine

• Malcolm L. Collins, AIA LEED AP

• Artifex Architects & Engineers

• Optimum Construction

• Hoagland Restoration

• The Heritage Company

• Design Associations, Inc.

Photo Credits: Dom Lizotte, DLMedia; University of Southern Maine; Hoagland Restoration; Maine Historical Society; Maine Historic Preservation Commission

Bay Chamber, Camden

After six decades of renting space, the Bay Chamber Concert & Music School sought to establish a permanent home where they could continue to champion the power of music to inspire joy and encourage discovery. They accomplished their goal by adapting and expanding a historic meeting house in downtown Camden that had been refined and reshaped by its occupants for 175 years.

The building was originally constructed as a Universalist Meeting House in 1848, but soon afterward it was consecrated as St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church. When a new church structure was built in 1924 on the other side of town, the original location was abandoned. The meeting house was sold to the Camden Farmer’s Union and its steeple traded in for gas pumps. In 2007, founding member of Maine Preservation and architect, Christopher Glass led the redesign of the defunct Agway feed store into professional offices and an events hall. One of Glass’ proteges, Nancy Barba, would be among the team chosen in 2022 to write the building’s next chapter.

The design team, led by Barba + Wheelock, together with Rockport-based Tamarack Builders, assessed the meeting house. While a sound structure was presented outwardly, they quickly discovered that a stream of water running through the crawl space had caused the floor structure to rot, requiring extensive replacement of the framing. The rear storage additions were deemed unsalvageable.

The adaptive reuse of the historic structure followed a guiding principle–retain essential character-defining features while accommodating change. The overall form, eaves, and trim details of the 1840s meetinghouse endured through repair of existing materials which were accentuated by a warm splash of paint. Reconfiguration of the interior captured more volume in the historic hall space, while modern touches allowed the Bay Chamber to make its mark.

The contextual addition increased programming space and shows deference to the historic building by tucking behind and under the embrace of its eaves. Landscape architect, Asa Peats thoughtfully designed an engaging site with outdoor gathering spaces and native plantings. Together, they serve as a modern counterpoint to the former church and signal its reimagination. In addition to the 150-seat Hammer Hall, the site boasts classrooms, a recording studio, and office space for the Bay Chamber. Massachusetts-based Acentech advised on acoustical design to deliver an exceptional experience for both performers and audience.

A successful capital campaign raised $8 million from over 150 donors, including individuals, foundations, and local businesses. The fundraising effort also created an operating endowment to maintain the building. Unfortunately, Monica Kelly, the Executive Director of Bay Chamber and inspirational force behind the campaign, tragically lost her battle with cancer before the project was completed.

Since opening, the music school has become a cornerstone for artistic activity in Camden, enrolling over 350 students of all ages in the inaugural year of its new space; bringing together a community of music lovers in the former meetinghouse on Mountain Road.

Project Participants

• Bay Chamber Concerts and Music School

• Barba + Wheelock

• Tamarack Builders

• Stephen Earle Design

• Bennett Engineering

• Lincoln/Haney Engineering Associates

• Asa Peats Landscaping Design, LLC

• Landmark Corporation Surveyors & Engineers

• W.H. Demmons

• Acentech

Photo Credits: Sarah Szwajkos; Luke Fatora; Barba + Wheelock; Camden Public Library

Peavey Memorial Library, Eastport

The extensive restoration of Eastport’s Peavey Memorial Library is a reflection of the city’s values and an affirmation of its significance as a gathering space and source of knowledge and learning for residents, visitors, and researchers alike.

The current library building opened its doors on October 1, 1894, and represented the culmination of a remarkable building campaign following a devastating fire that decimated Eastport’s commercial core along Water Street in 1886. Frank H. Peavey, who made his fortune in the grain industry in Minneapolis, built the library in honor of his father, Albert, on the condition that residents would stock it with their own books. Peavey commissioned Rotch and Tilde, a Boston architecture firm, whose other works in Maine were lavish summer homes in Bar Harbor. The $10,000 project was overseen by Boston’s Miller and Ladd and resulted in the beautifully executed Romanesque Revival-style structure sited atop a grassy knoll, overlooking the ocean. The permanence and durability of the brick, sandstone, granite, and slate signaled the intended longevity and importance of the library.

The Peavey Memorial Library has been a long-standing community hub, hosting musical programs and holiday celebrations, offering tax preparation assistance, facilitating gardening workshops, and offering arts and crafts for all ages. The building sees over 8,000 visits a year in eastern Washington County. Its services are carried out by the Eastport Public Library Association staff of two people, a dedicated board of directors, and a corps of loyal volunteers.

Years of saltwater-laden winds from across Passamaquoddy Bay put this landmark in jeopardy as the condition of the red brick–cracked, spalling, and broken–reached a crisis point. In 2018, Bucksport-based Knox Masonry detailed the extent of the damage, prompting a comprehensive look at the building’s repair needs.

The library leadership turned to Ellen Angel at Artifex Architect & Engineers, a previous resident of Eastport and the architect responsible for the sympathetically designed children’s wing addition. Artifex assessed the building and developed a plan in 2019, with engineering support from Dr. David Lee Gress and Thornton Tomassetti. Their findings resulted in closure of the iconic arched entry, which was structurally compromised along with its foundation. The report also attributed the inappropriate addition of insulation to the building as the leading culprit in trapping moisture within the brick walls.

The first order of business was to shore up the arched entry to protect against massive failure and remove the detrimental insulation. Over the course of four years, the Peavey Memorial Library got the attention it deserved: the cupola was rehabilitated by Jonesboro-based The Steeple People; the slate roof, copper flashing, and gutters completed by Bangor’s Roof Systems of Maine; and the severely deteriorated masonry restored by Knox Masonry. Inside, minor plaster repairs and a fresh coat of paint reversed the damage that had slowly spread from the building envelope.

Local fundraising efforts garnered over $200,000 for the public library and were bolstered by an array of large grants, including the Maine Development Foundation’s REvitalizeME program and the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund. Repairs were also supported by grants from The 1772 Foundation in partnership with Maine Preservation and the USDA.

Public libraries are among our most democratic institutions, serving all who enter. The Peavey Library can once again fulfill its original charge for the people of Eastport and eastern Washington County.

Project Participants

• Eastport Public Library Association

• Artifex Architects & Engineers

• The Steeple People

• Roof Systems of Maine

• Knox Masonry

• Kenneth D. Jordan, Inc.

• Dr. David Lee Gress, Ph.D., P.E.

• Thornton Tomasetti

Photo Credits: Dom Lizotte, DLMedia; Fred Fitch; Eastport Public Library Association; Artifex Architects & Engineers; Maine Historic Preservation Commission

Wilson Hall, Bucksport

The vacant and derelict Wilson Hall had long-loomed over the Town of Bucksport, calling out for someone to champion its resurrection.

Completed in 1851, Wilson Hall was the first of three seminary buildings constructed by the Eastern Maine Methodist Conference. The austere composition of the Greek Revival-style building commanded attention from its hilltop position overlooking the Penobscot River. The rapid rise of Methodism in the area had spurred the idea for the co-educational school, which operated until 1933. After briefly serving as a high school for the town, the Roman Catholic Oblate Fathers purchased the campus for the St. Joseph’s Seminary. Following their departure in 1971, Wilson Hall would sit vacant for nearly 50 years! Its disuse and decline landed it on our list of Most Endangered Places in 1999.

After efforts to revive the building by an out-of-state developer failed in 2010, the Town of Bucksport acquired the property and began weighing options, ranging from redevelopment to demolition. By that point, the 20th century front porch had been removed, and the roof had declined to the point where it was feared that a portion of the belfry would collapse into the building. Years of water infiltration destroyed the interior floors, permitting clear views from the basement to the sky. What remained was a brick shell.

Enter local businessman Larry Wahl, who saw Wilson Hall’s potential and put together a persuasive proposal for the Bucksport Town Council. Wahl–no stranger to old buildings, owning the c. 1824 Haywood House and having overseen the extensive restoration of the Buck Memorial Library–advocated for Wilson Hall alongside other community leaders, cultural organizations, and residents. In January 2019, following several close votes to order its demolition, the Town Council approved Wahl’s proposal to sell the building for $1 along with a $65,000 forgivable loan. The value of the loan matched the demolition and site cleanup cost but was just a fraction of what Wahl would end up investing in Wilson Hall’s renewal.

The priority was to stabilize the structure and secure it from the elements, which included repairing the foundation and rebuilding the roof and belfry base. Wahl quickly discovered that the building had not been serviced by town water and sewer, which was essential for future use. Along with clearing unkept trees along the primary sidewalk, two massive granite slab retaining walls had to be rebuilt.

Bonin Masonry carried out a comprehensive repointing campaign of the entire brick exterior, including the façade pilasters and wraparound entablature. The windows that were destroyed by vandalism were replaced. The interior build out, led by Restorations Unlimited of Maine, required half of the floors and walls to be replaced, including new stairs. This provided a near blank slate for framing, drywall, trim, and insulation in order to create six apartments, a multi-purpose room, and a laundry room. With the help of Chaffee Plumbing and Heating, Ross Electric, and Maine Fire Protection, new plumbing, electrical, and a fire suppression system were integrated into the historic shell, now serviced by nine heat pumps. The entire project team lives within a 25-mile radius, making this a truly local success story.

The herculean effort not only saved an important part of Bucksport’s built heritage, but it generated much-needed housing. Half of the new apartments in Wilson Hall are leased, intended for those 60 years and older.

The cherry on top? Wahl was able to track down a Revere bell cast the same year that Wilson Hall was built. He had it installed in the belfry, and you can now hear it ringing whenever he makes the climb to the top.

Project Participants

• Lawrence Wahl, Zion’s Hill Properties, LLC

• Town of Bucksport

• Restorations Unlimited of Maine

• Chaffee Plumbing and Heating

• Ross Electric

• Drywall Connection

• McIntyre Trucking

• Maine Fire Protection

• Bonin Masonry, Inc.

Photo Credits: Lawrence Wahl; Maine State Archives

Anne Niles, South Freeport

Maine Preservation’s growth as a professional statewide historic preservation nonprofit can be attributed in large part to over three decades of outstanding leadership and dedication from Anne Niles.

Anne attributes her appreciation of old buildings to an internship at Historic Harrisville in New Hampshire during her senior year of high school. There, she witnessed the rehabilitation and reuse of old mill buildings which ignited a lifelong interest. From her hometown of Lincoln, Massachusetts, Anne headed to Bowdoin College where she majored in history. An independent study course found her conducting an architectural survey of Cundy’s Harbor under the mentorship of Maine Preservation Trustee Sally Rand.

Anne’s first job out of college was as a Field Representative at the Boston office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She then had a short stint as the first Executive Director of the New Haven Preservation Trust in Connecticut, before returning to the Trust to run the Yankee Magazine Intern Program. The innovative program placed interns in municipalities across New England to support local preservation efforts.

Anne later earned her law degree from the Seattle University School of Law and began practicing in land use. She and her husband eventually made their way to Maine, specifically South Freeport, where they would raise their family and take every possible chance to sail on their wooden boat, the Concordia yawl Allure.

In 1994, Anne joined the Board of Trustees of Maine Preservation, a role she would comfortably fill for nearly 20 years, including six years as President of the Board. While at the helm, she helped the organization grow and strengthen by garnering new members, recruiting Trustees, expanding programming, and hiring staff.

With Anne’s vision, oversight, and belief in the mission, Maine Preservation achieved status as a Statewide Partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, securing a three-year capacity-building grant. The direct result was installation of Maine Preservation’s first Executive Director, Roxanne Eflin.

Anne’s legal training, steady pragmatism, and forethought was essential as the long-time chair of the Easement & Revolving Fund Committee for over 20 years. She helped establish the Historic Preservation Revolving Fund, the precursor to today’s Protect & Sell program, to acquire significant endangered properties and catalyze their rehabilitation. The initiative meant measuring risk and taking action, saving important places like the c. 1791 Abijah Buck House in Buckfield and growing a portfolio of preservation easements.

While a member and chair of the Development Committee for more than 30 years now, Anne has helped set fundraising goals, secure grants, and assist in planning numerous Galas, introducing countless new faces to the organization and its mission. She also increased professionalism through her exceptional writing, elevating the organization's newsletters, annual reports, brochures, member letters, grant applications, and funding appeals.

Anne’s most notable role was helping steer one of Maine Preservation’s proudest achievements–ensuring perpetual protection of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, a National Historic Landmark. Maine Preservation joined with the Trust for Public land, Royal River Conservation Trust, New England Forestry Foundation, Friends of the Shakers’, the State of Maine, and the USDA to raise $3.5 million to purchase easements on 1,700 acres of farm and forests and 17 historic buildings. The capital campaign was a first for Maine Preservation, also endowing a stewardship fund for the future care of the land and buildings.

The collaborative effort to protect this living landscape with land conservation nonprofits, state and federal agencies, and the Shaker community was a testament to the strengthened capacity and depth of support behind Maine Preservation. We thank Anne for playing her quiet but mighty role in shaping the organization we are today.

Photo Credits: Historic Harrisville, Inc.; The United Society of Shakers, Inc.