Who owns the parking lot?

The parking lot between Howard Place and Nathan Nye is owned by:

• Freeport Historical Society – 25% – part of the Harrington House lot we’ve owned since 1977
• L.L.Bean & The Gap building – about 35% each
• Town of Freeport – less than 5%

A 1998 agreement created the lot and a shared maintenance plan. FHS has no say in maintenance decisions but is required to pay our share—over $160,000 since 2001, averaging $6,000+ per year.

Why does FHS have so much parking?

FHS has long rented its parking to other businesses as a key revenue source—averaging $24,000/year until 2019. That has dropped to an average of $800/year, while maintenance costs continue to rise. Meanwhile, most lot users are retail customers, not FHS visitors.

What changed in 2019?

The Town revised downtown parking requirements, removing the need for most businesses to lease extra parking. This hit nonprofits like FHS hard, reduced rental income significantly, and was a known impact of this decision.

What has FHS done about it?

For five years, FHS has repeatedly asked the other owners to revise the agreement and share costs more equitably. Each time, they declined.

Why paid parking now?

FHS now faces a $30,000 bill for resurfacing the lot —in addition to annual costs. With no new support from other owners, we leased 30 of our 44 spaces to UPP for paid parking—the only viable option to cover maintenance and support our mission.

We still provide free parking to meet town requirements and remain committed to finding long-term, equitable solutions. 

Parking is a bigger issue for all of Freeport, and we hope to be part of a broader community solution aligned with the Downtown Vision.