Jack Wiseman stands next to his model replica of Auburn Hall in February at Auburn Hall. Submitted photo

Jack Wiseman of Mechanic Falls has been building with Legos most of his life. Starting from the age of 6 or 7, he enjoyed building with them for most of his youth growing up in Auburn, first building basic houses (and a red rescue helicopter) then moving on to Technic Sets in his teens.

He stopped building with Legos in his mid-teens, he said. It was not until he started buying them for his son, roughly 10 years after he set them down, that he picked the hobby back up.

Now working for the Maine Department of Labor, he spends his spare time building Lego modular buildings, including replicas of buildings in Lewiston and Auburn, he said. Some of his most notable include the façade of the Simard Building on Lisbon Street in Lewiston, the new Lewiston Fire Station on Mollison Way and his latest replica, Auburn Hall.

What inspires your Lego models? Today, I’m more interested in Lego modular buildings. These sets are of city buildings, such as a department store or a restaurant or a jazz club that has multiple floors and interior settings. I really enjoy making Lego versions of local buildings. In addition to creating the Auburn Hall, I built a replica of Lewiston’s new Fire Station #5 off of Mollison Way, and a few years ago I built the façade of an apartment building at 311, 313 and 315 Lisbon St. called the Simard Building. Only the first floor remains of that building today after a fire years ago, but my great-grandparents had a restaurant called Ma Wiseman’s on the ground floor circa 1940s. When it comes to fictional buildings, I’ve built my own modular version of Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum from the Marvel Universe.

Jack Wiseman’s Lego replica of the Sanctum Sanctorum from the Dr. Strange comics is displayed at his home in a protective case. Submitted photo

How much time do you typically spend building Lego models? My time spent building projects varies quite a bit, week to week. I may spend a few hours one week to a dozen hours in another. Sometimes waiting for parts on order can cause a slowdown on projects. I’ve waited a couple of months on more specialized parts to be shipped.

Typically people associate Legos with being a kid’s toy, however there are many adults who enjoy building with Legos. Have you noticed a growing trend among adults who enjoy building with Legos? I’ve noticed more adults seem to be enjoying the hobby today as I do. Lego is certainly making more sets geared for adults. I will routinely check out websites like reddit, bricklink and rebrickable to see what others are working on and check out the posted pictures of their MOCs (my own creation).

What is the best piece of advice you would give someone interested in creating something with Legos but perhaps they seem daunted by the task? Anyone who thinks they might be interested in building with Lego can find a lot of information online. Everything from speed builds of many of the sets Lego makes to tutorials on how to build houses, furniture and vehicles. The number of available unique pieces made by Lego is staggering, so there’s lots to choose from if you want to make your own creation. I will usually try making sections of buildings, or prototypes, like window frames, roof details or stairs, before fully assembling things. I can honestly say that when I have completed a project, like the Auburn Hall, it has been many iterations in the making until I’m done with it.

What is so fun or rewarding about Legos? I equate building with Lego like someone who enjoys solving a puzzle. The only difference is not only do all the pieces have to fit together right, but I have multiple options and combinations to choose from in those parts. I considered becoming an architect when I was younger, so maybe this is a natural extension of that interest. It’s satisfying when you can complete a project with a good level of detail that is immediately recognizable.