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Maine Court to Decide Historic Church Fate

PORTLAND, Maine - Maine's highest court will determine if an Australian businessman can convert part of a historic Portland church into office space for a technology firm.

The Portland Press Herald reports the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday heard an appeal from city officials who want to overturn a lower court's ruling that blocked construction of the office space. Frank Monsour bought the 1877-built Williston-West Church and attached parish house when the church's board of trustees sold it in December 2011. He is majority owner of software development company Majella Global Technologies.

Portland City Council approved a rezoning of the church and parish house in 2012 over opposition from neighbors. Neighbors later sued. The high court has not set a date when it expects to issue a ruling in the case.