History, slipping away

Foam just a heads up, Bates Mill currently holds Td Banknorth (or whatever it is now called) and Androscoggin Bank in it. The mill seems to be pretty useful if you ask me.

So, what is supposed to draw people here? Bland, architecturally castrated facades? For all the blather about money pits and whatnot, I don't see any constructive suggestions about finding an identity for L/A in the future from the anti-spending types. You folks lack vision. Until you have one, we will just be the "former mill town" that we're always seen as.

If we want to get rid of the old, fine by me. But so far all I see when the old is removed is an empty lot, or yet another parking area. Not much in the way of economic development.

Jay Bee,
I for one do not wish to see my tax dollars used to keep old buildings because some have an illogical attachment to them. The mill was a work place that is all.It seems that people such as yourself only think of the history and forget that these buildings have long ago served there purpose and should be replaced by more modern and efficent buildings.
You still drive the first car you owned? of course not. You have purchased a new(to you) car for what reasons? better gas milage, it looked better, could haul more. These are the same reasons that buildings need to be replaced. Architectural preservation as a priority? sounds like a black hole for tax dollars to vanish in to me. In my opinion the mills are extremely ugly to look at anyhow. Lets just keep the Bates mills for what another hundred or so years cause they have a history link here in Lewiston. I would much rather invest in the future than to maintain a big square brick building that really serves no purpose to the cities inhabitants. I think the fire(ever notice that thats what occurs to alot of these buildings) was the best thing that could have happened for that building. I just wish we would have torn it down before it burned.

So by your metric Ernest, should we bulldoze every city in Maine?

Old buildings are like old motor vehicles. They are nothing but money pits. You know dig a hole in the back yard and burn a fifty dollar bill every week. In 1987 I bought a 59 pickup. in the twenty tw oyears I have owned in I have spent way more than the cost of a brand new pickup at the time. Had I purchased a new pickup and driven it less than 2000 miles a year like I have the 59 I would have been way ahead. The point here is it costs a whole lot more to maintain something old than something new. Sure it's nice to look at an old building and reminice , but that is thinking with the heart not the brain. This is 2009 not 1899, come into the present.

Until the City makes architectural preservation a priority, we will lose more and more. I have had friends from "away" marvel at the number of churches and other old buildings that remain in downtown L/A; for how much longer? For all of the wonderful old buildings in Portland, for example, many of its great old churches are now nothing but memories.

The current Lewiston Council won't get the job done, and the current crop of candidates leave much to be desired. They speak in broad platitudes, and other than saying they won't fight with each other, talk of NOTHING. We have lost leadership.

First you need a new council. The current crop are too involved in their own petty little agendas to even care about the city. People with vision need to be elected; not people looking to inflate their ego.