The U.S. Custom House in Portland was on a list of 300 buildings owned by the federal government that may potentially be put up for sale. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

The federal government announced plans to sell off certain properties it deems nonessential to core functions, including four properties in Maine, before quickly taking down on Wednesday a list of sites that had been posted online for less than a day.

Among the hundreds of properties included in the initial list of those deemed “non-core assets” by the General Services Administration were the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta, the historic U.S. Custom House in Portland and the Social Security Administration building in Presque Isle.

The status of the potential sales was unclear Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson for the GSA did not return messages asking about the listings, why certain properties were removed from the list, or when details of the sale policies would be revealed.

The Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building was built in 1966 and is named after Edmund Sixtus Muskie, who served as governor of Maine from 1955-1959 and later as a U.S. senator and secretary of state. It currently hosts more than a dozen tenants, including the Postal Service, IRS and offices for both of Maine’s U.S. senators.

The Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta. Courtesy U.S. General Services Administration

The U.S. Custom House was built between 1867 and 1872 to accommodate Portland’s growing customs business, which by 1866 was collecting $900,000 annually in customs duties, according to the United States General Services Administration website.

“It’s incredibly important architecturally and historically,” said Kate Lemos McHale, executive director of Greater Portland Landmarks, an organization working to preserve the historic character of the city.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

McHale said the building was constructed after a massive fire in 1866 destroyed much of the Old Port. It it the last remaining work in Maine of esteemed architect, Alfred B Mullett.

Because the U.S. Custom House is designated as a local landmark, the exterior of the building is protected and cannot be easily changed, said McHale, but the interior of the building, which is largely preserved, may not be protected.

The interior of the U.S. Custom House in Portland during an open house in 2013 after all of its wooden windows were restored, including glazing and other miscellaneous repairs. John Ewing/Portland Press Herald

Allison Frazee, director of advocacy act Greater Portland Landmarks, hopes that if the building is sold, a buyer interested in preserving it might come forward.

“We would be happy to work with a buyer to find a use that preserves the historic character and fabric while creating vibrancy in the space,” said Frazee.

Frazee also said that preserving public access to at least some parts of the building is important to her. Her biggest concern, with a possible sale, she said, is preservation.

“We would be concerned about the potential loss of irreplaceable historic fabric on the interior of the building if it were sold for a new use. Walking into the Custom House today is not much different than when it was first built in 1872,” she wrote in a statement. 

The Social Security Administration building in Presque Isle was built in 1970.

A spokesperson for for Sen. Angus King declined to discuss the potential closures. A spokesperson for Sen. Susan Collins said her office has “reached out to the administration for more information” prior to the list being rescinded.

CHANGE OF PLANS?

The federal website originally included properties in nearly every state, including a handful of high-profile government buildings, among a list of “properties designated for disposal.”

“GSA’s decisive action to dispose of non-core assets leverages the private sector, drives improvements for our agency customers, and best serves local communities,” the administration said in its announcement.

Core assets include those used for “critical government operations, such as: courthouses, land ports of entry, and facilities critical to our national defense and law enforcement,” the administration said.

Although it originally included more than 440 properties when announced, the list was pared down to just 320 properties by 8 p.m. Tuesday. By 8:10 a.m. Wednesday, the entire list had been taken offline and replaced with a “coming soon” message.

Among properties that appeared on the original list but were removed are the J. Edgar Hoover Building, which serves as FBI headquarters; the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building; the Old Post Office building, where President Donald Trump once ran a hotel; and the American Red Cross headquarters.

The headquarters of numerous agencies, including the Department of Labor and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, were originally listed as well.

It was not clear when the properties would be formally offered for sale or what the terms might look like.

“GSA will be releasing more information on how interested prospective parties can submit information soon,” the department said.

This report contains material from The Associated Press.