University of Maine School of Law Building | |
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![]() University of Maine School of Law Building in Portland Maine circa 2016. | |
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General information | |
Architectural style | Brutalist |
Location | 246 Deering Avenue |
Town or city | Portland, ME |
Completed | 1972 |
Owner | University of Maine School of Law |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 8 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Wadsworth, Boston, Dimick, Mercer and Weatherill |
The University of Maine School of Law Building is a former academic building in Portland, Maine. Adjacent to the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus, the 8 story building was designed by the local architectural firm of Wadsworth, Boston, Dimick, Mercer and Weatherill and completed in 1972 at a cost of $2.7 million. It expanded in 1993 to include more space on the first floor to accommodate the law library. [1] It is a rare example of Brutalist architecture in Maine. [2] It was built to house the University of Maine School of Law, which had previously been located downtown at 68 High Street. [2]
In 2017, Architectural Digest named the building one of the 8 ugliest in the United States and called it "a futuristic version of the Roman Colosseum." [3] University employees described the building's architecture and design as "a joke but also a badge" and "rather unfortunate." [2]
In 2023, the Maine School of Law was relocated downtown to a former office building at 300 Fore Street. After 50 years, building no longer houses a law school. The University of Maine anticipates that the vacant law school will eventually be demolished, but there are no final plans to take the building down yet. [4]
Portland is a port city and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Portland's economy relies mostly on the service sector and tourism. The Old Port is known for its nightlife and 19th-century architecture. The marine industry plays an important role in the city's economy, with an active waterfront that supports fishing and commercial shipping. The Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in New England.
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), commonly referred to as Illinois Tech, is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to 1890, the present name was adopted upon the merger of the Armour Institute and Lewis Institute in 1940. The university has programs in architecture, business, communications, design, engineering, industrial technology, information technology, law, psychology, and science. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
The University of Maine is a public land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the flagship university of the University of Maine System. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
The University of New England (UNE) is a private research university in Maine with campuses in Portland and Biddeford, as well as a study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. During the 2020 academic year, 7,208 students were enrolled in UNE's campus-based and online programs. It traces it historical origins to 1831 when Westbrook Seminary opened on what is now the UNE Portland Campus.
The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a public university with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston in the U.S. state of Maine. It is the southernmost of the University of Maine System. It was founded as two separate state universities, Gorham Normal School and Portland University. The two universities, later known as Gorham State College and the University of Maine at Portland, were combined in 1970 to help streamline the public university system in Maine and eventually expanded by adding the Lewiston campus in 1988.
The University of Maine School of Law is a public law school in Portland, Maine. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and is Maine's only law school. It is also part of the University of Maine System. The school's current dean is Leigh Saufley, who assumed the post in 2020. Until 1972 the School of Law was located at 68 High Street, Portland. In 1972, the School of Law moved to the University of Maine School of Law Building, which is adjacent to the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus. In 2023, the Law School moved to 300 Fore Street, on the waterfront of downtown Portland.
The Portland Press Herald is a daily newspaper based in South Portland, Maine with a statewide readership. The Press Herald mainly serves southern Maine and is focused on the greater metropolitan area of Portland.
Munjoy Hill is both a neighborhood and prominent geographical feature of Portland, Maine. It is located east of downtown and south of East Deering, the neighborhood it is connected to by Tukey's Bridge. The neighborhood historically had a large Irish and Italian American population.
The University of Maine at Augusta is a public college in Augusta, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine System. UMA provides baccalaureate and select associate degrees for residents of Central Maine. The university has campuses in Augusta and Bangor, and courses offered online and across the state.
Portland Public Library is the main library of the public library system in Portland, Maine, USA. It is located at 5 Monument Square on Congress Street in the Old Port of Portland, Maine. The library has three neighborhood branches, Burbank branch, Peaks Island branch, and Riverton branch.
The Old Port is a district of Portland, Maine, known for its cobblestone streets, 19th-century brick buildings and fishing piers. The district contains boutiques, restaurants and bars. Because of its reputation for nightlife, the Old Port is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
Kennedy Park is a neighborhood in East Bayside in downtown Portland, Maine, built around a park, athletic fields, basketball courts, a playground and the Boyd Street Urban Garden.
The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to many late 19th- and early 20th-century homes and, in 2010, it was called "one of the best preserved Victorian neighborhoods in the country". The Western Promenade, a park laid out in 1836, overlooks the forests and small settlements of Southwestern Maine, along with the distant White Mountains. Other historic structures include 68 High Street, The Gothic House, Brown House, Butler House, Ingraham House, Morrill Mansion and the Minott House.
The Arts District is a section of downtown Portland, Maine’s designated in 1995 as to promote the cultural community and creative economy of the city. It covers a large part of upper Congress Street towards the West End. There are many art galleries, a theater company, museums, and schools in the general area. Both Maine College of Art (MECA) and Portland Museum of Art are located in the district. Congress Square Park, a small urban park across the street from the Museum of Art, often referred to as the "Heart of the Arts District," frequently hosts community-based arts and cultural events.
Portland, Maine, is home to many neighborhoods.
Zillman Art Museum-University of Maine (ZAM) is an art museum in downtown Bangor, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine, which is located in nearby Orono, Maine. The University of Maine Art Collection was established in 1946, under the leadership of Vincent Hartgen. As the initial faculty member of the Department of Art and curator of the art collection, Hartgen's goal was to provide the people of Maine with significant opportunities to experience and learn about the visual arts and their diverse histories and cultural meanings.
Simons Architects (SA) is a fifteen-person architecture, design, and planning firm located in Portland, Maine.
The Press Herald Building is an historic building in Portland, Maine built in 1923 and expanded in 1948. It is strategically located across Congress Street from Portland City Hall. It was occupied by the Portland Press Herald newspaper until 2010. In 2015, the renovated building reopened as the Press Hotel.
Casco Castle was a resort in South Freeport, Maine, United States. Built in 1903, it was intended to resemble a castle. Designed by William R. Miller and overlooking Casco Bay immediately to its east, it burned down in 1914. All that now remains is its 185 foot (56 m) tall tower, which is now on private property, inaccessible to the public. The tower can be viewed from Harraseeket Road, a few yards closer to the shoreline, or from Winslow Memorial Park, directly to the south across the Harraseeket River. The main part of the building was to the south, with the tower on its northern side, connected by a bridge.