PORTLAND, Maine — One of Portland's most distinctive buildings may soon be gone.
The owners of the Brian Boru pub have applied for a demolition permit. The pub closed in 2019 and was purchased by a subsidiary of the mutual insurance company MEMIC.
MEMIC said the plan is to have the demolition underway by the fall, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. It said it is open to the possibility of someone moving it and rebuilding it at another location.
Daniel Steele was the former owner. He said there is sadness and a sense of loss, and said he was hoping it would remain a pub.
"Not all buildings, I think, have such a history of involvement with the community," Steele said.
He said he often catches people missing it.
"The other day a young lady came by and was kissing the window, and all the time people stop and look at it," he said.
City officials say they are awaiting additional information before approving the permit.
"While we recognize that a lot of people, including many of us, have some wonderful memories and long-standing friendships that started at the bar, the opportunity to buy the vacated parcel addressed some of our short-term parking needs which made us a natural candidate," Senior Vice President of External Affairs of The MEMIC Group Tony Payne said in a statement Monday. "We have been a Portland downtown employer since 1993 and have made significant investments in historic preservation. We always have done our level best to be a contributor to Portland’s quality of life. Whatever we do with the land going forward will be in keeping with Portland’s exciting future. We also have been advised by real estate professionals that the building impairs the possibility of being creative with the land’s ultimate use."
Payne said MEMIC is talking with the city of Portland to explore their options, "including the best future use of the property beyond simply parking."
Portland City Councilor At-Large Ali Pious said in a tweet Monday that he's asked about what the city council can do to prevent the building from being demolished.