It’s not too late for EMMC to save two Bangor gems

Eastern Maine Medical Center has announced its plan to destroy two properties on State Street. One is the former Wing Estate.

I know Wing Park well. When I came to Bangor in 1981, my office was there on its second floor for three years before the building was taken over by the medical center. This unique Gothic Revival building was constructed in the early 1800s and eventually owned by the Wing sisters. The name “Wing Park” came from the gardens they kept and opened for enjoyment of the public. They were important members of this community. If one visits the University of Maine’s current art exhibit in downtown Bangor one can see several important pieces they donated.

As a private practitioner, my practice pays property taxes to the city of Bangor. Eastern Maine Medical Center’s hospital, much of the Union Street campus and its various hospital-owned physician practices pay no property taxes to the city. That is because they exist as a not-for-profit entity. Eastern Maine Medical Center/Eastern Maine Healthcare is an over half-a-billion-dollar enterprise. Greater Bangor benefits from all that EMMC does for the community, yet EMMC also benefits greatly from the services provided by the city, for no local property tax is paid for its tax-exempt operations. It would seem that this would give EMMC a special responsibility to be a good citizen.

The Wing building is an old one with the liabilities of an old building. I also live in an older (1860) house and know firsthand the demands of an aged structure. Yet many Bangor businesses and families own and maintain similar historic buildings in this town. Their stewardship of these buildings keeps the architectural flavor of our community alive.

These buildings were state-of-the-art many years ago. They are less “efficient” by today’s building standards, yet they have value as part of the heritage of our community. What distinguishes Bangor is this heritage.

Bangor’s architecture has suffered in the past from the Great Fire of 1911, ill-conceived urban renewal projects that sacrificed the old train station and other important areas of the downtown. Once destroyed by EMMC, these two State Street properties will be irreplaceable.

Anyone who travels State Street can appreciate the importance that these two properties have in maintaining the architectural integrity of that area of town. A parking lot or even a new office building could not fill the void.

Perhaps the medical center could get some inspiration from Merrill Merchants Bank, which did such a fine job integrating a restored Unitarian parish house as part of its bank, or St. Joseph Hospital and its preservation of the old fire house on Center Street. There are many other examples where businesses and not-for-profit entities have preserved our architectural heritage, and made it work for their business plan.

It is not too late for EMMC, or perhaps its board, to turn this decision around. Many of us hope they do.

Daniel E. Cassidy, MD, of Bangor is a gastroenterolist.