The USM Portland campus covers a large area; from the Glickman Library to the Law School, most of the buildings in between are used and owned by USM. One exception however, is on the corner of Bedford Street and Forest Ave.
Until recently, World Over Imports was located in the large brick and white building across the street from the Glickman Library and behind the Woodbury Campus Center. This building used to be a Pier One Imports store, but in 2005 the company severed ties with the chain and become an independent import store.
The store’s exterior message board, which used to proclaim sales on everything from Webkinz to wicker furniture, had a more somber message towards the end of last semester, when it announced that the store would be closing.
The building is currently on the market, and it’s proximity to the USM campus makes it a seemingly logical investment for the school, which is in the midst of renovating much of the surrounding area.
Due to the location of this building, it was noted in the school’s master plan that this corner could have the potential to be a major gateway entrance to USM, said Denise Nelson, director of residential life.
According to Nelson, there is currently no interest in purchasing the World Over property. USM does not have the funds for it, but Nelson says that the construction of the University Commons will transform the gateway area.
“We would consider an option allowing us to make aesthetic improvements 20-30 feet from the corner to make the area more visually pleasing,” said Nelson.
Rather than seeking to buy another property, USM is looking to transform what it already has to create good-looking entranceway to the campus.