SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A plan for a memorial to house the cremains of thousands of Oregon State Hospital patients has hit a snag.
A historic building constructed in 1896 is expected to house the remains and transform the space into a public memorial. The project was initially scheduled to be completed this year, but the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission recently decided the project didn’t meet the standards for restoring historic buildings.
The Statesman Journal says (http://stjr.nl/Jifis8 ) the architects designing the memorial have to go back to the drawing board.
Some Salem residents have objected to the plan, saying that tearing down part of the building would alter history. Proponents say the artists have taken steps to make any changes reversible.