PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council has approved plans for the Portland Museum of Art to expand, clearing a path for the museum to tear down the building next door in the process.
City councilors voted six to three at Monday night's meeting to reclassify the building at 142 Free St. as a non-contributing structure to the Congress Street Historic District.
The Portland Museum of Art can now demolish that building, which it owns, to make room for a planned expansion.
The decision over reclassifying the building has been controversial, and several city councilors said the issue has had a significant negative impact on the community.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions that I've met yet here on the council," Kate Sykes, who represents District 5, said. "And I've been really sad to see how it's torn our community apart."
"What impact does the removal of the chamber building from the district have on future investments by developers within the district proper?" Mayor Mark Dion said. "That's the real question now: OK, what result for the city's economy and its capacity to create new housing?"
Dion said he expects a legal challenge from opponents of the museum's plan.