In this world of strip malls and condo complexes that make every town look the same, historic preservation is a key part of maintaining a community’s identity and character.
Biddeford has several special buildings that speak to its past ”“ textile mills, Main Street storefronts, churches and society buildings abound, all speaking of the culture, economy and way of life from days gone by.
As the city evolves into the future, it will be all the more important to keep some of these buildings preserved so that coming generations can understand from whence they’ve come.
To that end, Biddeford is considering giving its Historic Preservation Commission more power to enforce regulations rather than simply advise property owners. We agree with City Planner Greg Tansley and his working group that the commission should be given regulatory power in order to protect Biddeford’s sense of place.
The downtown and mill district were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009 and 2008 respectively, an important step that allows property owners in those areas to take advantage of state and federal tax credits.
Having a place on the National Register of Historic Places does not protect a building from significant changes or demolition, however, as the register is just for recognition. It is local ordinances that protect these buildings, so it’s high time that Biddeford puts some teeth into its regulating body. If they don’t, any developer could easily come in and decide to knock down any of the city’s historic buildings with no regard ”“ and they’ll be no recourse.
The city’s current ordinance provides for the commission to review plans from those seeking to make changes to the exterior of their properties that are on the city’s Historic Register within the three Main Street Revitalization Districts ”“ which include the mill district, downtown Main Street, and some of the surrounding area.
Plans for the building, from basic alterations to demolition, are reviewed by the commission, which then makes recommendations, but property owners are not required to comply.
It seems that if the commission is going to take time to conduct these reviews ”“ and suggest restrictions that will retain the building’s historical integrity, based on the ordinance ”“ property owners should be required to follow those recommendations.
Roxanne Elfin, of the Maine Development Foundation, recently noted that Biddeford is the “largest city in Maine with no effective historic preservation land use regulations.”
This is concerning, since Biddeford certainly has a wealth of history in its buildings ”“ think of the unique Egyptian-style facade on the building across from the Wonderbar on Washington Street, the dome of St. Andre’s church, the mosaic-decorated entryway to City Theater. What a shame it would be to see our physical history written over with unattractive “renovations.”
In neighboring Saco, the historic preservation commission has the authority to require that changes to buildings in its historic district follow guidelines as outlined in the city ordinance ”“ and it works well, according to Saco Economic Development Director Peter Morelli.
Saco has found that the key to giving a commission that type of power is to make sure the ordinance itself is not too restrictive and the commission members are dedicated to following the ordinance rather than imposing their own emotions on a particular project.
We agree. It’s important to keep the economic realities and needs of our own time in mind when we consider reuse of buildings that once housed the uses of the past. If Biddeford goes about this correctly, the city will have a commission that will be able to protect the historical integrity of its most important landmarks while allowing their reasonable reuse to build the community today.
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune editorial board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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