GORHAM — University of Southern Maine officials plan to talk to the contractor working on the renovation of its art gallery to get a better understanding of how far along the project is — and how much time and money is left to better meet historic preservation standards.
Dick Campbell, USM’s chief financial officer, told local preservation groups at a meeting Wednesday that he would update them with that information by the end of Thursday. The aim is to start coming up with a joint plan that would preserve the historic integrity of the building, fit within the university’s budget restraints and ensure the structure is “buttoned up” before any more damage is done.
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USM halted renovations on the nearly 200-year-old building last week after preservationists took issue with the project and criticized the college for destroying the historic integrity of the Greek Revival building by replacing the original old-growth pine siding and windows with vinyl siding and modern windows.
The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1821 and used as a meeting house and town hall before it was purchased in 1961 by the college, which used it as a chapel before it became an art gallery.
The project, which began last winter, was needed to keep the building structurally sound after a roof truss and two support columns in the front of the building failed, revealing other problems. The exterior work was intended to make the building more energy efficient.
Judie O’Malley, a spokeswoman for USM, has said the college’s budget woes limited the project’s spending to $320,000, which precluded it from restoring or replacing the original materials. But, she said, the renovation plans aimed to replicate the look of the original structure by using custom-milled trim to hide evidence of the vinyl siding and relying on old photographs to craft the shutters.
Leslie Bridgers can be contacted at 791-6364 or at:
Twitter: @lesliebridgers
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