Portland Museum of Art Expansion | Portland

[GIL]

Opinion: Portland Museum of Art appears to have lost its way
Stinging opinion piece from former PMA director points to weak stewardship by the current director — and a related story again points out the current salary (>$300k and supposedly 20% less than last year). Not looking good for PMA nor Brassire.

 

[nomc]

Over the last 15 years, annual expenses and entrance fees have doubled, far surpassing inflation, but there has been no gain in attendance. The endowment, despite generous gifts and bequests, has declined in value by more than 10% after adjusting for inflation.

The museum falsely claims it set a record for annual attendance in 2019 with 177,000 visitors. Back in the year 2000, attendance was 188,000, a level of success that did not in any way strain the facility.

Looking at the museum's 990 from 2022, seems like Bessire made around 575k in total. 431k base + 120k other reportable + 9k retirement + 17k nontaxable benefits.

Also, while reading the PPH article this was the ad:

 

[GIL]

Looking at the museum's 990 from 2022, seems like Bessire made around 575k in total. 431k base + 120k other reportable + 9k retirement + 17k nontaxable benefits.

Also, while reading the PPH article this was the ad:

View attachment 50019

I’ll bet he gets some tough questions.

 

[nomc]

I’ll bet he gets some tough questions.

I think the BOT is just as culpable - if this has been building for some time they've had plenty of time to correct it.

 

[markhb]

I think the BOT is just as culpable - if this has been building for some time they've had plenty of time to correct it.

He's been in there long enough that I'm sure the BOT is largely, if not entirely, his buddies.

The piece by the former museum director is brutal towards the plans, both to tear down 142 High and also to knock a hole in the Cobb facade. I don't know when it's supposed to appear in the paper, though.

 

[markhb]

Another brutal letter (IMO) in the PPH today, from David Chase of York. Most interesting...

The PMA should embrace the opportunity to utilize a handsome building worked on by John Calvin Stevens. From its birth in 1882, Stevens nurtured what is now the Portland Museum of Art. Stevens was part of the group that founded it, kept it afloat, mounted its shows, housed its collections, organized its events, designed its buildings and cultivated donors like Margaret Sweat and the Payson family. Stevens was a trustee for 57 years – from 1916 to 1938 he served as board president.

(I assume "the group that founded it" was the Portland Society of Art, which spawned both PMA and the former Portland School of Art, now Maine College of Art & Design.)

 

[TC_zoid]

Another brutal letter (IMO) in the PPH today, from David Chase of York. Most interesting...


(I assume "the group that founded it" was the Portland Society of Art, which spawned both PMA and the former Portland School of Art, now Maine College of Art & Design.)

The author of this letter is either confused or implying something incorrect. 142 Free Street was never anything of use or contributing for the PMA. Nothing. Before the Children's Museum it was a church for 85 years. If anything, pious people next door would have been a hinderance to art (progressive). Therefore, the PMA's heritage won't be diminished from its disappearance. I don't think it has to be razed but could be turned around and moved alongside the Clapp House as a compromise. It could then become a marvelous secondary addition for the new PMA after the proposed addition has been completed by that under qualified arch firm from Portland, OR, or if you insist on making them do many iterations before they can create something noteworthy. This entire endeavor needs a substantive dialectic from a group of intelligent, objective, and caring professionals... with power.

 

[PWMFlyer]

I totally get the push for a main entrance on congress street, but there is a large void on Spring Street. I was always under the impression that when the YWCA was demolished, and the temp park was put in its place that a new building was going to be built. It just seems that Spring Street could need some new life. Portland Square has a large void, the large wideness of the street, its just so under used. Lets incorporate the HIBay with a connector bridge? to a new PMA? make Spring Street inviting and electric... Give the building in question to the Art School and incorporate it with the museum.

 

[TC_zoid]

I totally get the push for a main entrance on congress street, but there is a large void on Spring Street. I was always under the impression that when the YWCA was demolished, and the temp park was put in its place that a new building was going to be built. It just seems that Spring Street could need some new life. Portland Square has a large void, the large wideness of the street, its just so under used. Lets incorporate the HIBay with a connector bridge? to a new PMA? make Spring Street inviting and electric... Give the building in question to the Art School and incorporate it with the museum.

Yes. If I was given a canvas to paint for this area, I would create a skywalk connect from Portland Square to diagonally connect Cross Insurance Arena (hate this name), then run it down to the museum with another connector going across to the Holiday Inn. This way, pedestrian traffic is unhindered and protected from the elements. It would be the hotel and its massive function room, the museum, CIA, and Portland Square for new office, more convention space, and perhaps another hotel. In Minneapolis, seemingly the entire downtown is connected with skywalks to protect from the elements. In the winter, it's not just the cold but the ferocious winds to be protected from. I made the mistake in January of '23 thinking I would walk around outside--brutal biting cold wind. I gave up. The Target Center (their arena) is connected to a big hotel and many significant office buildings. Maine doesn't get wind like this, or nearly every day it seemed.

 

[nomc]

After reading the Daniel O'Leary Opinion piece linked above my thinking has started to change:

• Keep the current main entrance. The way ticketing currently happens is fine, no different than some major museums I've been to. If you want to give it a facelift/make it a little more official, go for it. But no need to move it.
• Don't alter the Payson Building's facade. The more I think about it the more I think it was a dumb idea to begin with. I'd like to think the idea would be scrapped in design development.
• Keep 142 Free St. I like O'Leary's idea of using it for the store (accessible from the street), additional gallery space, offices, educational programs.
• Completely redesign the new structure. If it's possible to reset the entire process, that would be my preference. I'm not so sure just moving the currently proposed building to Spring St is going to be successful architecture.
• All of this assumes these moves are fiscally responsible. And if O'Leary's assertions are correct they may not be. If the business plan is simply "if you build it they will come" then this could quickly become an existential crises. I hope they have an extensive, detailed plan to back this up with reasonable, reality-based projections.

 

[markhb]

I co-sign everything @nomc just said.

To me, the only thing that stands out as "wrong" with the current museum interior is the traffic flow in the lobby: the shop is somewhat secluded, and there isn't a delineation between entering and exiting traffic in the grand lobby (including, unless it has changed, the ticketing desk being on the left as you enter, which leads to awkward cross-traffic). Connect the two buildings, move the gift shop and exit over there, and do whatever they want/need with the upper floors.

 

[nomc]

I co-sign everything @nomc just said.

To me, the only thing that stands out as "wrong" with the current museum interior is the traffic flow in the lobby: the shop is somewhat secluded, and there isn't a delineation between entering and exiting traffic in the grand lobby (including, unless it has changed, the ticketing desk being on the left as you enter, which leads to awkward cross-traffic). Connect the two buildings, move the gift shop and exit over there, and do whatever they want/need with the upper floors.

I think you would naturally flow from Payson down to the new building and exit on Spring St - or at least that's what they should encourage. Can't assume where people will be parking so I don't think there's a need for the entrance and exit to be in the same location? Other than maybe security and/or staffing considerations?