Statement from Carole Martin, Managing Director – Star of Hope Foundation
March 19, 2024
I want to take this opportunity to correct and clarify some incorrect statements about the Star of Hope Foundation that have been made recently on the Vinalhaven Public Poster Facebook page. I hope that you will share this statement with friends and neighbors.
The Sail Loft 3 at Clam Shell Alley
We were notified on Sunday that panels were blowing off the roof of the Sail Loft building and that power lines to the building were in danger of coming down. On Monday, less than 24 hours later, we had the roof panels removed and electric power to the building cut off.
As you have probably already read in The Wind, we have received a permit to take down the Sail Loft the week of April 1 due to its structural deterioration and unsafe condition. This week’s issue of The Wind will have more information about our preliminary plans for a new public space at 3 Clam Shell Alley and our desire for community input on the future of this important waterfront property.
The ”Yellow House” at 7 Windy Way
As we also reported in The Wind, the yellow house at 7 Windy Way was razed last year due to its poor condition and flooding of the property during king and high tides. The land on which the house sat is surrounded by private property owners. There is no town access to the parcel. It was not a viable area for public green space.
After the Foundation decided to sell the property, all abutters were contacted. Only one expressed interest in the property, and it was sold to that person at fair market value.
The Lodge, 46 Main Street
The former Star of Hope Lodge, where Mr. Indiana lived and worked, is the most important and most prominent property left to the Foundation and the one that is receiving the most attention. The Foundation began stabilizing the building in 2019 because without immediate attention it was in danger of collapsing into the street.
Millions of dollars have already been spent on the Lodge to make it safe for future community arts-related endeavors, as Mr. Indiana had hoped, but there is still much work to be done. It was Mr. Indiana who initiated the process to place the building on the National Register of Historic Places.
More information can be found in our series of updates in recent issues of The Wind and on our website at starofhopefoundation.org. We also will be displaying the updates in the windows at The Lodge.
The Foundation is committed to transparency and community engagement. Productive discussions cannot take place when ill-advised and factually incorrect information is being spread about the Foundation in the community, and inappropriate and baseless allegations about the board are made.
I hope that this statement clarifies some of the questions and misinformation about the Star of Hope Foundation’s actions and priorities. We look forward to continuing to have a productive and mutually beneficial relationship with the Vinalhaven community.
To view the articles, click here Star of Hope Foundation News & Updates
If you have further questions, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
Contact Us