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Council authorizes city manager to accept Schleier Foundation lease for South Meeting House
Summary
After a presentation by the Schleier Foundation and PMAC, the Portsmouth City Council authorized the city manager to enter a lease that would transfer restoration responsibility to a private foundation and establish PMAC as the initial nonprofit tenant; the city retains ownership and improvements will revert to the city.
The Portsmouth City Council on Nov. 17 authorized the city manager to accept and finalize a lease that would place restoration and long-term stewardship of the historic South Meeting House in private hands while keeping city ownership.
Representatives of the Schleier Foundation and Portsmouth Music & Arts Center (PMAC) presented a jointly proposed model that would have the foundation fund major building systems and exterior restoration and PMAC serve as the long-term nonprofit operator. The presenters said all capital work would be privately funded and improvements would be completed to federal preservation standards under Historic District Commission oversight.
"The foundation funds and completes all major building and system improvements, and PMAC funds its interior fit up," the presentation stated. PMAC said the renovated building would include the first-ever elevator for accessibility and would allow the organization to expand visual arts programming and increase tuition assistance.
Council voted to authorize the city manager to accept the lease in substantial form; the vote included an abstention by Councilor Denton because of a stated connection to a partner organization.
What happens next: Staff will finalize the lease agreement, advance design development, coordinate with city departments, and — if schedules hold — construction could begin in 2026 with PMAC occupying the building in late summer 2026, according to the presenters.
