
The latest architectural rendering of the Portland Museum of Art campus expansion as seen from Congress Square and Free Street. Image courtesy of LEVER Architecture
Last month, the Portland Museum of Art got the change it will need to eventually tear down the building at 142 Free St.
Despite opposition, the Portland City Council voted to remove a historic classification that protected the former Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine from demolition. The museum plans to build a sweeping glass-and-timber expansion on that site as part of a $100 million capital campaign.
Here’s what we know about the future of the site.
What will happen next to the building at 142 Free St.?
For now, not much.
Graeme Kennedy, a spokesman for the Portland Museum of Art, said the museum continues to work on the design of its new wing with Lever Architecture, based in Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles.
“This includes incorporating feedback we’ve solicited from throughout Maine, specifically working with communities that have not traditionally been welcomed or felt comfortable in a museum setting,” Kennedy said. “Our goal for phase one of this project remains the same – create flexible and open space for art and people to come together in meaningful ways, and we’re looking forward to moving forward.”
The museum is still fundraising for the $100 million capital campaign that will finance the campus expansion. Leaders said $40 million has been raised so far, mostly in endowment. Initial estimates were that construction alone would cost $45 million, although that number has not been finalized.
What is the timeline for demolition and construction?
Kennedy said demolition of 142 Free St. is “not imminent.”
“I don’t anticipate any changes to the site until we have a final concept and building permits have been pulled,” he said.
Kennedy said the museum must complete “a lengthy permitting process” before construction can begin.
That process starts with submitting a major site plan application to the Planning and Urban Development Department at the city. The Portland Planning Board would hold a workshop and then a public hearing before taking a vote on the project. Then, the museum would apply for a building permit in order to start construction; a demolition permit would also be needed to take down the current building.
“We are assessing our timelines now that the city has made its decision, and we look forward to sharing updates with our communities in the coming months,” he said.
Last year, the museum said the expansion would not be complete until at least 2026, although Kennedy said that timeline is likely not accurate.

The latest architectural rendering of the Portland Museum of Art campus expansion as seen from High Street. Image courtesy of LEVER Architecture
Is Greater Portland Landmarks going to sue the city over this decision?
We still don’t know.
Carol De Tine, board vice president of Greater Portland Landmarks, said the preservation group has been working with lawyers to determine whether they will challenge the Portland City Council’s decision in Cumberland County Superior Court. She declined to discuss exactly what factors they are weighing as part of their decision. The deadline to take legal action in Cumberland County is 30 days after the May 20 council vote, which would be June 19.
“We’re still considering our options, but I have to say that we have heard from a great number of people,” she said. “They’ve called, they’ve emailed to express their outrage and to offer help depending on what we decide to do as we go forward. We’re not done. We don’t by any means think we’re done. No property owner has ever acted with such arrogance and hubris with respect to the historic preservation ordinance.”
The building at 142 Free St. is considered a “contributing” structure to the surrounding Congress Street Historic District. Built in 1830 and later renovated by John Calvin Stevens, it has been home to a theater, a church, the Chamber of Commerce and the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine.
The Portland Museum of Art asked the city to change the building status to “noncontributing,” which will allow it to be razed. The museum argued that renovations to the building, such as the addition of a dormer and cupola, had altered its integrity under the historic preservation ordinance. The City Council ultimately agreed, finding that the building lacks integrity of design, materials and workmanship.
De Tine said that finding is misguided.
“If someone who lived in Portland in the ’30s walked along Free Street and saw that building, they would recognize it, and that means it really hasn’t significantly changed,” De Tine said.
What about the city’s redesign of Congress Square? When is that going to be finished?
Portland is working on a $7.2 million redesign of Congress Square that was supposed to be completed in 2024 but has been plagued by months of delays. The first of two phases is still not complete, and the city parted ways last year with the contractor hired for the project. The city said in March that it now hopes to complete all of the work before the end of summer 2025.
The first phase, budgeted at $2.6 million, included improvements to traffic flow and sidewalks at the intersection at High and Congress streets, work that was originally expected to be largely completed by fall 2022, with final paving and landscaping to occur the next spring. While Gordon Contracting completed most of the work, a few finishing touches remain, the city said.
Phase two calls for upgrades to Congress Square Park, including the installation of new artwork and improvements to the plaza outside the Portland Museum of Art.
City spokeswoman Jessica Grondin said last week that the city is aiming to get a request for proposals out this spring or early summer in order to hire a new contractor.
Will the Portland City Council’s decision impact the Congress Street Historic District and the possible development of affordable apartments at the Time & Temperature Building?
Chris Rhoades, one of the owners of the iconic Time & Temperature Building in downtown Portland, has said that the change for 142 Free St. could jeopardize the historic tax credits needed to build as many as 250 affordable apartments in the vacant high-rise. The museum disputes the claim that allowing the building’s demolition would affect the federal certification of the Congress Street Historic District, which enables buildings within it to receive tax credits for their rehabilitation.
Officials have declined to provided a definitive answer, even after the vote. Grondin said last week that city staff “will proceed with the recertification” with the state and the National Park Service once the 30-day appeal window lapses.
Rhoades said Wednesday that the council’s decision was “a surprising outcome.” He did not have new information about the impact on the Congress Street Historic District and is waiting to see what will happen next. He and consultant Scott Hanson, who previously worked in the city planning department and is advising the project team on historic tax credits, are still concerned that the district will not be recertified.
If the tax credits are not available, Rhoades said, “the affordable housing project goes away.”
Hanson believes Greater Portland Landmarks has a strong case if it files an appeal.
“The council’s decision was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what ‘integrity’ means in the historic preservation ordinance,” he said.
What will the Portland Museum of Art and Greater Portland Landmarks do to address the public rift created by this dispute?
During last week’s meeting, Councilor Kate Sykes acknowledged the fierce debate that has occurred over months. Hearings on the application attracted hours of public comments and dozens of letters on both sides of the issue.
“This is one of the most difficult decisions that I’ve made yet here on the council,” Sykes said. “I’ve been really saddened to see the way that it’s torn our community apart. … No matter how we vote today, there will be disappointed and sad people on the other side of this vote, and we have to go forward as a community and work together after this.”

An architectural rendering of the maker spaces inside the proposed new wing of the Portland Museum of Art on the site of 142 Free St. Image courtesy of LEVER Architecture
But that process of reconciliation will be a difficult one.
“We’ve been saying from the start that we didn’t go looking for this fight, and we feel that it never should have happened,” De Tine said. “The museum should not have put the design before the process of determining whether the building could be reclassified. That’s why it ended up such a difficult issue for all of us. While we’re considering whether we appeal or what we do, it’s hard to think about repair.”
De Tine said Greater Portland Landmarks met with museum leaders twice since last year to suggest other ideas for the site.
“They are just intransigent about continuing with the design that they have,” she said. “It’s a little frustrating for councilors to tell us that we should have compromised, we should have mediated. It takes two to do that, and the museum was not willing.”
After the vote, museum Director Mark Bessire posted an open letter to the community on the website for the PMA Blueprint. He thanked everyone who participated in “the vibrant discussions surrounding the proposed new wing.”
“We acknowledge the importance of sharing and preserving the rich history of our properties while simultaneously embracing progress and innovation,” he wrote. “142 Free Street stands as a catalyst for a brighter future, ensuring that Congress Square remains a sustainable hub for arts and culture. The Blueprint project represents not just a physical expansion, but a symbolic commitment to the revitalization of our beloved city of Portland, Maine. We envision a future in which the old and the new coexist harmoniously, in alignment with Portland’s Plan 2030. By developing 142 Free Street, we aim to reinvigorate the arts district, stimulate economic growth and enrich the cultural tapestry of our city.”
Kennedy said in an email that the museum welcomes everyone in the community to participate in the project as it moves forward.
“Our hope is that we can help to create an environment where everyone can feel confident that their ideas are heard and considered. No matter how you feel about 142 Free St., we all want what’s best for the city and for our community. While we may disagree on this particular issue, there are many more areas where we are aligned.”
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