The University of Southern Maine (USM) is exploring the possibility of replacing its aging Law School building with faculty housing due to the structure’s significant disrepair and high maintenance costs. The brutalist building, once labeled one of America’s ugliest, has been vacant since the law school relocated in 2023. Now, USM is considering turning the site into affordable housing for staff and faculty.

The eight-story building, constructed in 1972 for $2.7 million, was once the home of the University of Maine School of Law. However, it has been empty since the law school moved to Portland’s Old Port area in 2023, prompting discussions about its future. Ryan Low, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration for the University of Maine System, explained the delay in demolishing the building: “There’s no ribbon-cutting for a building being torn down, there’s no naming opportunity.”

Low also noted that, with the university system’s declining enrollment, a reassessment of campus space is necessary. “We have buildings in place for a system of 30,000 students, and we have considerably less than that,” he said. This reassessment has led to the elimination of hundreds of thousands of square feet of space, though funding to demolish the Law School building remains an obstacle.

The Law School building has been plagued by leaks and flooding, and fixing the structure would cost far more than it’s worth. Low estimated that demolishing the building could cost over $5 million, while maintaining it costs USM about $210,000 annually.

In light of these issues, USM is considering a new plan for the site. Jacqueline Edmondson, USM’s president, revealed that the university is looking into a public-private partnership to create affordable housing for faculty and staff, addressing ongoing housing shortages in the area. “Sometimes we have challenges hiring faculty and staff because of the housing shortages in our area, and also because of cost of housing,” she said.

While there are no finalized plans for the housing project, the university believes that the location could accommodate around 75 housing units, depending on the final design. USM has yet to determine the management structure for the new housing and has not set a timeline for the project. However, the immediate focus is on the demolition of the old building, which has $22.9 million in deferred maintenance.

Despite its controversial design, the Law School building has its defenders. When it was labeled one of the ugliest academic buildings by Architectural Digest in 2017, some people, including local historian Archer Thomas, argued for its preservation. "One person’s eyesore is another’s gem," Thomas wrote, acknowledging the building’s place in the architectural landscape despite its unpopularity.

As USM moves forward with plans for the site, it remains uncertain whether the brutalist structure will be remembered as a campus eyesore or a unique piece of Maine’s architectural history.