Bangor Historic Preservation Commission approves Cedar Street window plan

The Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for 14 replacement windows at 225 Cedar Street, a project presented by One Stop Home Repairs. The commission also adopted minutes and findings from earlier meetings and spent the rest of its session discussing archaeology, metal detecting, and historic signage ideas.

Key points

• The commission voted 5-0 to grant a certificate of appropriateness for new vinyl windows at 225 Cedar Street, with the applicant agreeing to match the existing black color, narrow muntins, and window sills.
• The applicant said the project covers 14 windows plus one previously replaced window, and that existing storm windows will not be reinstalled.
• Commissioner Peter Keebler noted the pre-application had described aluminum-clad custom windows, and the applicant said the switch to vinyl was his own misunderstanding of the product line.
• The commission approved the September 10, 2026 meeting minutes and adopted findings and a decision for 217 York Street, with some members abstaining because they had not attended or had been involved.
• In open discussion, members raised adding archaeology language to city code, rules for metal detecting and magnet fishing on city property, and signage about federally protected Revolutionary War shipwrecks in the Penobscot River.
• Members also discussed standardized historic signage, brick sidewalk repairs, and highlighting Maine Archaeology Month in October.

Next steps

• Planning analyst Matt Altiero said he hopes to work on archaeology-related code provisions this winter, after the land development code.
• Altiero said he would raise waterfront shipwreck signage with the Parks and Rec director, who has been working with Downtown Bangor Partnership on waterfront history signage.
• The commission discussed scheduling its next special meeting for January 21, 2027, with January 28 as an alternative.

Read the full transcript