Bangor HPC approves Main Street repairs, recommends park historic designation

The Bangor Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for repairs to the 43-49 Main Street building, allowing the use of black granite to replace damaged stone. The commission also voted to recommend that the City Council designate local parks as historic landmarks, despite one member's concerns about potential maintenance burdens. Additionally, the board recommended updates to the historic preservation ordinance to the City Council.

Key points

• The commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for Rhines LLC to repair the 43-49 Main Street facade using black polished granite.
• Architect Mike Pullen noted the building is a circa 1872 structure designed by George Orff, emphasizing the importance of retaining the cast iron grills.
• The commission voted to recommend that the City Council designate Bangor's pocket parks as historic landmarks to protect them from development.
• One commissioner voted against the park designation recommendation, expressing concern that the process could add costs or hinder accessibility improvements.
• The board recommended amendments to Chapter 148 of the city code, including provisions for pre-application meetings and clarifications on technical feasibility.
• Planning Officer Anya Collette stated that the city intends to apply for Cultural Landscape Grant funding in the fall to support park improvements.

Next steps

• The City Clerk will send the approved certificate of appropriateness to the applicant for the Main Street project.
• The commission will send its recommendation regarding the park historic designation to the Bangor City Council.
• The commission will send its recommendation for the historic preservation ordinance changes to the Bangor City Council.
• The planning department will work on clarifying language for park maintenance and accessibility in the next round of ordinance updates.

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