A look at Pennell's history
GRAY
7/23/2010

By Joshua Shea

By most development standards, the process of converting the Pennell Institute from an outdated and rarely used home of the Gray Historical Society to the new town hall has been a fast one.

While the rest of the country was electing Barack Obama in November 2008, residents of Gray were wrestling with the idea of a $2.4 million bond to help fund the renovation and build-out of the structure.

After months of town council and economic development committee debate, residents approved the bond, which with interest was expected to come to $3.53 million over 20 years.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1982, the two buildings that made up the Pennell Institute were built in 1886 and 1897, respectively. The Pennell name comes from its creator, Henry Pennell and when the town fully takes over the property for municipal business, it will be rechristened the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex.

The Institute was home to a well-respected high school for years, and then eventually was used as an elementary school and housed the first SAD 15-sanctioned school in Gray.

The buildings were placed on the Maine Preservation Society's list of most endangered historical buildings in 2008 prior to that year's November vote to save the building.

That vote almost never happened as legal disputes plagued the property for years, centering on what entity -- the town or the school district -- actually owned the institute. Once those issues were settled in September 2007, the building was deemed to have the structural integrity to be used on a grander scale.

The historical society, which had made its home in the building since 1978, temporarily moved to the fire barn on Main Street so work could get underway.

Once citizens approved the bond, the town council appointed a Town Office Building Committee in early 2009 to review options and prepare a request for bid for both design and construction of the facilities, reporting back to the council along the way.

After putting the project out to bid, Zachau Construction of Portland was chosen as the firm to renovate and reconstruct both the inside and outside of the historic building. Leis and Malm were hired for the design work.

Work began in early October 2009 on Phase 1, which included all of the exterior work to the 1876 section of the building including new windows, developing parking and exterior electrical work. The Phase 1 price tag came to $513,756.

Phase II, which included much more of the interior work, began in mid-December. In early January, Zachau released it's guaranteed maximum price of $2.35 million -- under budget and on time for a projected July 16 date of completion.

Among the more unique features to be unveiled on July 24's festivities include the brick walkway. Bricks were sold at a cost of $50 earlier this year allowing interested parties to leave their legacy with an engraving.

Now, nearly 130 years after being built as arguably the nicest building in the town of Gray, the Pennell Institute will house the town of Gray's government.