BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Officials at Acadia National Park want to tear down the Jordon Pond House restaurant and replace it at a cost of up to $20 million because of structural problems that require costly repairs.
The restaurant and gift shop built after the previous building burned in 1979 have design flaws that allow water to infiltrate the structure, necessitating ongoing, costly repairs, the Bangor Daily News reported.
“The building itself needs to be rebuilt,” said Keith Johnston, head of facilities management at the park.
The restaurant is at a scenic spot where tea and popovers have been served since the late 1800s. Jordan Pond and a pair of mountains called The Bubbles mountains serve as the backdrop.
The National Park Service owns the building, but it’s leased to a private concession firm. Replacing the structure would require a formal proposal from the National Park Service and funding from Congress.
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“It’s several years out,” Johnston said.
Rebuilding the restaurant, gift shop, deck and public bathrooms would cost between $10 million and $20 million, he said.
Repairs would cost three-quarters of that price without expanding the lifespan of the building, he said.
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