LEWISTON — The Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board will recognize The Pub at Baxter Brewing Company, 120 Mill St., owned by Platz Associates, and the Osgood Building, 129 Lisbon St., owned by Berman & Simmons law office.
The annual ceremony will be held at The Pub, commencing at 2 p.m.
Each year, in observance of National Preservation Month, the city’s Historic Preservation Review Board recognizes community preservation efforts, advocating that highlighting efforts to preserve historic structures/places help others understand the importance of saving history. National Preservation Month outreach and the City of Lewiston’s Historic Preservation Review Board celebration raise awareness about historic preservation protecting and enhancing historic communities and neighborhoods. Such preservation is touted as strengthening a sense of community, energizing local economies, and renewing existing resources.
The Pub at Baxter Brewing, Mill #1 Wing, renovation and adaptive reuse
In the heart of downtown Lewiston lies the Bates Mill Complex, a textile mill once the epicenter of the Franco and Irish communities in the 1800 and 1900s. With more than 6,000 employees, it was the largest employer in Lewiston. Bates was famous for its bedspreads as well as Union Army uniforms, casket liners and more. When Bates hit hard times in the 1960s, it never recovered and closed in the late 90s. The complex, over 1.2 m. square feet, was nearly empty, with leaking roofs, hazardous materials, and structural problems throughout It was devastating to see the decline of a space once so central to the city’s life and vitality.
Today, these buildings are full of life, people, and activity. A walk down Mill Street will highlight a locally-made wrought iron gate, behind which sits Mill #1 Wing, the new home of The Pub at Baxter Brewing. The No. 1 Wing, built in 1850, was originally only four stories tall, and a floor was added in 1866 – 1867. Upon meandering up a path lined with gas torches, large brewing vessels encompass one’s view followed by a custom wrought iron door at the base of the five-story brick building. Upon entering The Pub, 25-foot-tall ceilings draw one’s eyes to the mezzanine sitting above a 35-seat, horseshoe shaped bar. The flooring removed to open up the space was hand crafted and reused for the bar, dining tables and cabinetwork throughout.
Three historic ‘sluiceways’ under The Pub once carried water to power the paddle wheels and turbines for the mill. In keeping with the commitment to honoring the history of the space, one of the sluiceways was repurposed and now carries storm water from the upper canal down through the sluiceway under The Pub and back to the lower canal.
Osgood Building, 129 Lisbon St., owned by Berman & Simmons law office.
In the course of the renovation by Platz Associates, the interior woodwork and brick were carefully stripped and clear coated. Exterior brickwork was cleaned and restored, and new energy efficient windows replaced the boarded up window openings. Interior lighting is provided by LED ‘Edison’ style bulbs, supporting history while conserving energy. An original air compressor sits on its pedestal in the middle of the space. In addition, as part of the celebration of this community, a local artist was commissioned to create three panels that depict the history and people who worked at Bates Mill.
The historic Osgood Building at 129 Lisbon St., which includes the adjacent Supovitz Building, is owned by Berman & Simmons. The firm’s renovation includes preservation of the front of the building and replacement of bricks where necessary and revamping the first floor for a new and more modern reception area and conference rooms. The new conference space is large enough to seat 50 people but also has moveable glass walls so it can be divided into two separate areas.
PHOTO: The Osgood Building, Lewiston. (Submitted photo)
