Context
Since 1975, Preble Street – an independent non-profit based in Portland, Maine – has served the most vulnerable populations in the state. Among its clients are survivors of human trafficking: people who have been forced to perform a variety of work – including commercial sex work, domestic services, and agricultural and restaurant labor – through violence or coercion. Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Services (ATS) empowers survivors to heal and find success in lives free from exploitation, and has supported more than 600 individuals since 2013 while promoting systemic awareness and justice.
As Preble Street and its ATS program grew in size and outreach, the organization needed a new headquarters to accommodate its team and better serve its clients. In 2019, they acquired a vacant building that formerly housed the City of Portland’s Public Works offices.
The 18,000-square foot, three-story building offered much needed space but lacked warmth and welcome. A maze of tight corridors and low ceilings cluttered the floorplan and separated much of the interior from natural light. No insulation inside the brick walls guaranteed cold winters and unsustainable heating costs. Preble Street, however, recognized the potential of the space and quickly got to work bringing beauty, comfort, and joy to their new Healing Center and administrative offices.
Response
… coming soon!
