AUGUSTA — Councilors meet Thursday to consider what to do with a historic but dilapidated former mill worker house the city owns at 25 Bond St.
Thursday’s council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at Augusta City Center.
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The house, vacant for many years, has been eyed by local historic preservationists as an example of row housing built for local mill workers. Some say it’s worthy of preservation.
Research done in 2004 when a city committee studied what to do with the yellow building determined that it was built between 1866 and 1903. The committee concluded the time was not right to conduct a major restoration of the building, but recommended the city keep possession of it.
City Manager William Bridgeo said the owner of one of the neighboring buildings on Bond Street has expressed concern about the deteriorating house and wants to know if the city plans to fix it up or take other action.
Bridgeo said councilors will discuss what to do with the building at their meeting. He noted that local preservations “have a passion for it, but the building is in terrible shape.”
A 2003 structural inspection and rehabilitation feasibility study by the city found rehabilitating the building would cost about $250,000.
The same report noted that Maine Preservation in 2001 declared the neighborhood the house is in to be one of Maine’s most endangered historic properties and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission has determined the Bond Street neighborhood is an eligible National Historic District.
Councilors are also scheduled to discuss:
* an upcoming state Department of Transportation Memorial Bridge painting project;
* a proposed project to improve Market Square in downtown Augusta and consider allowing the Augusta Downtown Alliance to pursue grant funding for the project;
* discontinuing an unused portion of Route 17; and
* applying for DOT New Freedom Program grant funding.
Keith Edwards — 621-5647
kedwards@centralmaine.com
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