Four Lewiston Buildings to Receive Historic Preservation Awards

Lewiston, Maine - Historic preservation in Lewiston will be celebrated on May 16th.  The Historic Preservation Review Board will host its annual awards ceremony at 3 p.m. at the Atrium at The Lofts at Bates Mill.  Four (4) buildings will be recognized.

The Lofts at Bates Mill #2, 36 Chestnut Street

Owner:  The Szanton Company

The Lofts is the first portion of a mill in Lewiston redeveloped into housing and features one, two, and three bedroom units in urban loft style.  Mill #2 was built in 1854, four years after the first mill building was erected in 1850.  Mill #2 has undergone numerous alterations over the years; however, the west side of the building, where “The Lofts” housing is located, has undergone very little change.  Developer Nathan Szanton commenced the project in May of 2010 and completed the project two years later with a grand opening on November 5, 2012.

Roger Williams Hall, 9 Andrews Road

Owner:  Bates College

Touted for its ‘perfect gem architecture’ when completed in 1895, the building has been used as Cobb Divinity School, for Bates College’s administrative offices, and as a men’s dormitory.  With Bates’ reinvestment in the building, Roger Williams Hall is now home to most of the College’s language departments, with spaces for offices and classrooms.  The building is also home to the Language Resources Technology Center, the Off-Campus Study Office,  and a full Cultural Kitchen—an integration of resources that is fairly unique among Bates’ peer schools.  The site is now regarded as a forward-looking space for preparing students for life in an international world.

Hedge Hall, 7 Andrews Road

Owner:  Bates College

Originally constructed in 1890 by architect George M. Coombs, well-known in the LA area, the building was previously used as a chemistry laboratory. It also experienced additions in 1920 and 1950.  During 2010-2011, the building was completely gutted, with new interior steel supports added as well as 5,200 additional square feet on the north side for a handicap entrance and new stairwell. An elevator reaches all floors, and the roof has a small solar hot water collector facing south.   Hedge Call now houses Environmental Studies with classrooms, office space, rest rooms, and utility spaces.  The second floor is home to Bates’ Department of Philosophy, and the third floor is home to Religious Studies.

Ellard Building , 178 Lisbon Street

Owner:  David Allen Smith

The Ellard Building was originally built in 1866 by a shoe merchant named George Ellard and served as a retail shoe store at least until 1913.  Ellard was a first-generation Irish immigrant, and the building has long been notable for two shamrocks near the top of the façade.  Purchased in 2009 by David Allen Smith, renovations have resulted in the popular Forage, a fresh foods market with an emphasis on local farms. Other establishments in the building include Chill Yoga, Downtown Handmade & Vintage, and Life Ideals.