Maine Public has purchased the former Portland Public Market at 320 Cumberland Ave. in Portland, seen here in August 2012. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Maine Public announced plans Monday to move its Portland studios downtown to the old Public Market on Cumberland Avenue, where it will also create space to host public events.
The move is intended to be an improvement over the “temporary, cramped” space the nonprofit media company has rented on Marginal Way for several years.
The current space houses Maine Public Radio, Maine Public Classical and much of the newsroom, the network said in a press release. The move is planned for late 2025.
The locations in Bangor, Lewiston and the State House office in Augusta remain open.
Adam Lee, chairman of the board of trustees, said in a statement that the acquisition of the 5,000-square-foot building was the culmination of a search process that lasted a decade.
“We had a dream of a highly visible center with modern studios and space for the public,” said Lee. “This facility is an exciting solution and will be a game-changer for our organization.”
In 2021, Maine Public bought 35 Commercial St. for $10.8 million and announced at the time that it would build a new facility on the 34-space parking lot and then sell the building. It was not immediately clear Monday why the original plans fell through or what happened to the waterfront property.
Maine Public purchased the new building at 320 Cumberland Avenue for an undisclosed price as part of its $31 million “Building for the Future” capital campaign. The organization has raised $26 million following an anonymous $5 million donation – the largest in the network’s history.
The upgraded space will include new studios and production facilities, as well as space for musical performances, speakers, film screenings and partnerships with civic organizations, Maine Public said.
Rick Schneider, president and CEO, said the center will help the organization create programs for audiences across the state.
“We are very excited about the potential to bring people together in a way that celebrates the arts, fosters community and advances civic society,” he said. “Housing Maine Public in the former Public Market will be transformational for the organization and a positive story for the city and all who enjoy and rely on our programming.”
The Portland Public Market opened in October 1998. The $9 million, half-block market was funded by philanthropist Betty Noyce to revitalize the neighborhood and help local farmers, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The market closed in 2006 due to financial difficulties, after which the second floor was built and leased to businesses.
Slab Sicilian Street Food is located at one end of the building and will remain there, Maine Public said.
This story will be updated.
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