Printer-friendly version Reader Comments

Legislators are still deciding what to do with a historic complex that once housed Maine's mental patients.

By SUSAN M. COVER, Blethen Maine News Service July 6, 2007

AUGUSTA — When construction began in 1836 on a mental hospital in Augusta, advocates for the mentally ill wanted to make sure lawmakers never forgot those who lived there.

What would later become the Augusta Mental Health Institute grew granite block by granite block on the east side of the city, on a hill within view of the State House across the Kennebec River.

"Advocates for the hospital believed by siting it diagonally across the river from the State House, the complex would always be ... in the consciousness of the governor and legislators," said state historian Earle Shettleworth.

Though no one lives there anymore, the enormous building -- actually six connected buildings called the Stone Building -- is still very much on the mind of lawmakers, city officials and historians.

With the construction of the Riverview Psychiatric Center next door, the AMHI building last had full-time occupants in 2004. It's now up to state legislators to decide what to do with the 262,000-square-foot building that's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"Like our roads and bridges, we've got to do a good job maintaining our public buildings," said Sen. Elizabeth Schneider, D-Orono, who heads the legislative committee that will revisit the issue next year.

Like the historic Kennebec Arsenal, the Stone Building presents a huge challenge, and opportunity, for the state or a private developer. While the granite walls stand firm, the inside needs millions of dollars in repairs and upgrades, from heating and electrical to plaster patches and a new paint job.

"It's fundamentally sound. For a building its age, it's in remarkable condition," said Chip Gavin, director of the Bureau of General Services.

On a tour of the building, he pointed out the unique features inside the administration building and the rooms that once housed the mentally ill.

STRIKING DETAILS, OBVIOUS FLAWS

There's gorgeous woodwork throughout, as well as beautiful stained glass in the library, an auditorium with a balcony, large offices, several kitchens and details in ceilings and floors not found in modern buildings.

One wall of the library displays a series of stained glass windows, five of which depict Greek muses.

While the bookshelves are empty of books, vinyl records -- a 1966 Bill Cosby album called "Wonderfulness" and a Columbia recording of Dinah Shore and Jack Smith -- line a shelf.

The structure also has crumbling plaster walls, broken ceiling tiles, creosote and mortar in one of the many fireplaces, and peeling aqua, pink and green paint throughout.

One part of the building has old desks, microwave ovens and an upright piano that didn't sell at a state sale. The piano -- a beat-up Kingsbury -- has a $1 price tag on it.

The state continues to heat and provide power to the building, at an estimated cost of $575,000 a year, and someone regularly walks through to monitor its condition, Gavin said. But later this year, to save money, the state will cut back the heat in some parts of the building and turn it off in others, he said. That's estimated to save $160,000.

"Turning off heat in a historic building is not good," he said. "It's a step toward difficult things."

The state insures the building for $41 million, which is considered its replacement value, he said. They haven't had it appraised for its market value, which is an estimate of what it would sell for if put up for sale.

At this point, a study committee is recommending that the building be renovated for use as office space by state employees. That could include allowing some private companies to lease space, they concluded.

"It definitely could be a spectacular building again," said Brian Rizzo, a local Realtor and commitee member.

Renovating the building to provide office space for 700 to 800 people, could cost from $55 million to $70 million, he said.

He said the working group -- a mix...