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]
| University of Maine School of Law Building | |
|---|---|
 University of Maine School of Law Building in Portland Maine circa 2016. | |
 | |
| 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 |
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]
References
edit- ^ "Campus Descriptions - Portland". usm.maine.edu.
- ^ a b c Russell, Eric (30 September 2017). "Architectural Digest throws the book at UMaine law school's 'rather unfortunate' building". Press Herald.
- ^ Huber, Hannah (September 14, 2017). "The 8 Ugliest University Buildings in America". Architectural Digest.
- ^ Writer, Dennis HoeyStaff (2023-01-17). "UMaine School of Law moves into Old Port office building". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-04-04.