The Stevens Avenue Armory (now known as Arthur P. Girard Innovation Hall) is a historic former armory building on Stevens Avenue in Portland, Maine, United States. Built in 1908 as a utilitarian two-story brick barn for the Portland Railroad Company's electric trolleys, it was converted into its current Art Deco style in 1940 by local architect and World War I veteran John P. Thomas. Thomas also designed other nearby buildings, including Deering High School.[1] The armory was used by the Maine National Guard for training and recruitment purposes until 2015, when it was swapped for 29 acres of land along Route 1 in Saco that was owned by the University of New England (UNE). The building was valued at $3.1 million at the time of the swap.[2]
| Stevens Avenue Armory | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| General information | |
| Location | 772 Stevens Avenue, Portland, Maine, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°41′06″N 70°17′39″W / 43.6850°N 70.2943°W |
| Completed | 1908 |
In 2022, UNE finished renovating and expanding the building and renamed it the Arthur P. Girard Innovation Hall.[3]
References edit
- ^ Hanson, Scott T. "Forest Avenue and Stevens Avenue Portland, Maine Historic Context". portlandmaine.gov.
- ^ Harry, David (2015-06-23). "UNE, Maine Army Guard close land-for-Portland-armory deal". Bangor Daily News.
- ^ "Innovation Hall dedicated in honor of Arthur P. Girard". www.une.edu. 2 November 2022.