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Design flaws at Jordan Pond House require big changes

The National Park Service says the building has design flaws that need to be addressed.

MAINE, USA — For some, a trip to Acadia National Park is never complete without enjoying a cup of tea and some freshly baked popovers. The Jordan Pond House restaurant has been famous for serving them up since the late 1800s.

The restaurant and gift shop complex sits on a hill where visitors can admire the view of Jordan Pond and the North and South Bubble Mountains in the distance. The current building was built 40 years ago after the prior building burned down in a fire in 1979.

“The original pond house was quite a rustic, shingle style, single-story structure,” Bar Harbor Historical Society President Earl Brechlin said. 

After the fire, Brechlin said the local community came together and built the Jordan Pond House building many of us know and love today.

RELATED: Cause of fire at Bar Harbor's Bluenose Inn under investigation

“[Jordan Pond House] is a cultural landscape that people have been enjoying for many years, and we want to continue that tradition,” National park spokesperson Katie Liming said. 

Liming told NEWS CENTER Maine the Jordan Pond House building has design flaws, including issues with water infiltration and structural columns. Over the years, the park service has made repairs, but it hasn't been enough, and more aggressive solutions are under consideration. 

“It could be a rehabilitation of the current building," Liming said. "It could be a reconstruction.” 

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Liming said it’s too soon to put a timeline on the project to address the issues with Jordan Pond House, but it is a park priority and would likely require congressional notification or approval. Liming reassured NEWS CENTER Maine the building is safe and is expected to open this summer.

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