LEWISTON — Responses to a down economy, including neglecting or trying to make old buildings more energy efficient, are the main threats to preserving them this year, according to Maine Preservation.
Maine Preservation, the nonprofit organization aimed at saving historic places in the Pine Tree State, released its list of the most endangered historic resources during a downtown Lewiston press conference Tuesday morning.
Buildings on the list include vacant mills in Lewiston-Auburn and Biddeford-Saco, Bath’s Chocolate Church and any historic home undergoing efforts to make it more energy efficient.
Greg Paxton, executive director of Maine Preservation, said there are resources available to help people make it through a down economy while preserving their history.
Inappropriate weatherization and energy efficiency work topped the list this year of things threatening history.
Paxton said the recent spike in energy costs encouraged many historic property owners to seal up their properties and replace aging windows.
But not all energy upgrades are equal. For example, historic windows can be more durable than cheaper vinyl windows. Blown-in foam insulation can improperly seal the walls in an old frame building, locking in moisture and hiding deterioration from inspection.
“We are looking at how to save energy in historic buildings,” Paxton said. Maine Uniform Building and Energy codes exempt historic buildings, and he thinks that’s not right.
“We think there’s a good middle ground,” Paxton said. “We can make tremendous improvements to the energy efficiency of historic buildings and still not lower their durability or spend money that doesn’t produce economic return or do things that help deteriorate those buildings.”
Paxton said deferred maintenance is behind problems at Bath’s Chocolate Church, a historic building that is a community arts center. Backers are trying to raise money to repair the building’s leaning belfry.
“What they are doing with this church is showing what can be done,” Paxton said. “It’s not easy to do one of the projects, but it is very important.”
Other items on the group’s list for 2011:
* The Colonial Theater in Augusta, which has been vacant since 1969. The building has deteriorated because of deferred maintenance, Paxton said.
* The Old Blue Hill Academy, Blue Hill, currently home to an American Legion Post. That group is working with the Blue Hill Preservation Society to raise money to restore the building.
* The Hanson School, Buxton. Voters there will go to the polls on June 14 to determine whether they want to demolish the building.
* Buildings owned by fiscally challenged groups around Maine. Paxton urged community leaders faced with demolishing an old building to consider its history and work to find ways to save them. He also urged groups owning old buildings to seek help from state and local preservation groups.
* Maine’s historic bridges. Paxton called for regular maintenance and inspections to stay ahead of problems.
* Historic mills in Lewiston-Auburn and Biddeford-Saco. Paxton noted that Tuesday’s press conference was being held at the renovated Bates Mill Enterprise Complex.
“This really demonstrates how well these buildings can be done,” he said. “We don’t just recommend doing them building by building, but for the communities to view them as an important resource.”
Maine Preservation will return to Lewiston on Thursday, presenting a daylong seminar on how to preserve historic buildings. The seminar will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kora Temple.
It will be followed by Maine Preservation Honor Awards at 5 p.m. at the Franco-American Heritage Center.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
