PUBLIC HEARING - Eastern Cemetery Marker Replacement
Greater Portland Landmarks supports the retention of historic materials to the greatest extent feasible. We encourage all the stakeholders to consult a stone conservator prior to making a decision on this application to replace the historic table stone and to consider alternative ways to provide supplemental information about the significance of the interred individual to visitors and researchers.
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WORKSHOP - 200 Federal Street
Greater Portland Landmarks concurs with the staff comments, that given the eclectic character of the development’s context and the lack of strong architectural cues to inform the design, there is a greater opportunity for design freedom at this location than might be the case in a more homogeneous context like Exchange Street or Commercial Street. Buildings in the Congress Street Historic District are significant for their eclecticism of scale, construction era, architectural style, and materials. The openness of proposed three-story base stands in stark contrast to the foreboding character of the bases at One City Center, Two Monument Square, and even 400 Congress Street. The base will have the most immediate visual impact on pedestrians. We encourage the board to carefully consider the details of this portion of the building and the small pocket park as the design progress in order to enliven the pedestrian experience in this area.
Tonight we express our support for the overall massing, and the visual moves the design team has used to break down the mass when seem from a distance. We thank the applicant for the variety of views they have used to illustrate the visual impact of the proposed building on various historic landmarks, parks, and historic areas.
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WORKSHOP - 275 State Street
The applicant wants to remove the exterior fire escape that was added in the late 20th century.
Landmarks concurs with the staff report findings that the removal of the added fire escape provides an opportunity to return key elements of this Colonial Revival residential structure to its documented appearance. The 1924 tax photo of the building should set the direction for any replacement work and help to guide decisions where design modifications are necessary.