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Historic Preservation Commission approves design review for Bangor Savings project at 36 Pleasant Street
Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission approved design review for Bangor Savings Bank’s proposal at 36 Pleasant Street, preserving the front façade while authorizing a 20,000-square-foot addition (final building projected at 53,637 sq ft). The motion passed 4–1; one commissioner opposed demolition of the Pleasant Street side.
The Historic Preservation Commission approved design review for a redevelopment of 36 Pleasant Street, a project proposed by TAC Architectural Group on behalf of owner Bangor Savings Bank. The commission voted 4–1 to allow the applicant to retain the existing front street façade and construct a new addition behind it, clarifying that front‑street ground‑floor fenestration will be transparent windows rather than an aluminum curtain wall.
The project team said the existing structure is in poor condition and cannot meet modern floor‑load and life‑safety standards without substantial work. "This is our hometown. That's an iconic building," David Latullo of CJ Developers told the commission as he introduced the proposal; architect Dan Miller said the finished building will grow by roughly 20,000 square feet and "36 Pleasant Street will be 53,637 square feet when we're done." The applicants said the design preserves the public face of the historic façade while allowing a modern addition set back from that face.
Commissioners focused their review on massing, pedestrian‑level articulation and the treatment of the Pleasant Street elevation. Several members praised the restored front‑street façade and the proposals to use brick, a matching cornice profile and screened roof equipment, but some said the new tower and the proposed square windows contrast sharply with the existing rubble‑and‑arched‑window appearance on Pleasant Street. Commissioner Matthew Whitehead said he was "reticent" about demolishing the Pleasant Street side and that the rubble construction and brick there are "a beautiful feature." The architect responded that the tower is only a few feet higher than the penthouse and was intended to frame the campus and resolve penthouse access.
The commission’s motion (approved 4–1) included the modification clarifying that the front‑street ground‑floor openings are transparent windows behind historic cast‑iron elements (a correction to a drawing typo that identified an aluminum curtain wall). Chair Edmund Genoski called for a roll‑call vote: Matthew Whitehead voted No; Nathaniel King, Peter Keebler, Liam Reardon and Chair Edmund Genoski voted Yes. The motion carried.
By approving the design review, the commission authorized the proposed design treatment under the Bangor Center Revitalization Area design‑review standards; any required building permits and code approvals remain subject to staff review. The applicant said construction is expected to begin in spring.
