I have walked past a sign at the Kennebec Arsenal on my way to and from work for years. The sign, erected by Niemann Capital, promised restoration of the national historic landmark, claiming it would offer a “vibrant riverfront campus for boutique hotel, condos, restaurant, retail and office space.” The promises were broken.

How can a historic site such as the Kennebec Arsenal have survived a century of use by the military and a half-century of use by the state mental hospital and yet have its existence threatened by a few years of neglect? Shame on us for failing to be responsible stewards of this national historic landmark.

Mary Owen

Augusta