Abraham Robinson Block, Portland

The revitalization of the Abraham Robinson Block, by East Brown Cow, brought together industry experts exemplifying a deep-rooted appreciation for local history and culture, with an eye towards the building’s future stewardship and its contribution to the vitality of Portland’s Old Port neighborhood. The commercial block, having been built as an anchor of the vibrant Jewish Quarter in the early 20th century, will now carry on the legacy of one of Portland’s early immigrant communities.

In 1911, Russian Jewish immigrant Abraham Robinson purchased the property on Middle Street after building his business from a roadside cart. At the time, the lot contained a one-story wood commercial building, a duplex tenement, and a brick house. In 1914, Robinson constructed the current commercial block to house his clothing store on the first floor, flanked by a grocery store and drug store. The upper floors included factory space and a social hall, known as Robinson’s Hall. The hall hosted dances and meetings of labor organizations like the Hod Carriers and Building Laborers #12 and the Portland Lodge of the Jewish organization B’nai B’rith. The upper stories were later adapted for manufacturing and continued this use until Robinson lost the property during the Great Depression. Myer and Esther Goldberg purchased and operated Model Foods Importers & Market on the first floor, importing foreign foods from around the world to Portland. East Brown Cow acquired the property from the Goldbergs in 1998, reactivating the unused upper floors as office space.

In exploring how they could rethink the underutilized Abraham Robinson Block, East Brown Cow looked to capitalize on its historic character. Preservation consultant Scott Hanson worked to extend the National Register-listed Portland Waterfront Historic District to include the history and architecture of the commercial block, which provided eligibility for state and federal historic tax credits. The design team, including Mark Mueller Architects and Ealain Studio, zeroed in on existing elements such as the tin ceilings and wood flooring, while reintroducing details lost to time.  

A major component of the project was restoring the tin ceilings throughout the second floor, which required careful abatement of lead-based paint. To fill in gaps in the second-floor ceiling and reintroduce the tin ceiling on the third floor, East Brown Cow turned to the experts. W.F. Norman Corporation, a centuries-old company that specializes in tin ceilings, constructed identical molds based on the original pattern. Trusted partner, Monaghan Woodworks, executed the challenging re-installation of the ceiling within the trapezoidal structure. Monaghan also restored the original beech flooring, seamlessly integrating new wood to the match the species and appearance of the original.

Through research on Middle Street storefronts from 1924, local craftsmen at M.R. Brewer fabricated a new door and surrounding millwork to match the building’s original design. Historic paint analysis guaranteed a color match of the original façade. Best Dressed Signs created an era-appropriate, gilded entry sign based on a historic image. New roofing was installed and leaded copper was used to recreate historical details missing in the cornice.

While retail continues on the ground level, the second and third floors have been revitalized into modern “Urban Homes.” These three-bedroom, distinctive hotel stays honor the original character of each space, providing a glimpse into the history of the Old Port for visitors, just steps away from local boutiques and renowned dining.

Stevens Square Community Center, Portland

Completion of the Stevens Square Community Center is only one step in the multi-phase redevelopment of the historic 19-acre Sisters of Mercy site in Portland’s Deering Center neighborhood.

The building opened in 1969 as Catherine McAuley High School, an all-girls college preparatory school run by the Sisters of Mercy. The Maine Girls’ Academy took over the building in 2016 and sold it two years later to Kevin Bunker, Founder and Principal of Developers Collaborative. The academy remained with a long-term lease of the space, which was abruptly cut short when the school closed its doors, leaving alumni and nearby residents at a loss. An intentional rethinking of the 50,000 square-foot building was needed, and fast. Kevin Bunker led the effort to repurpose the empty halls into a community center intended to strengthen the social and economic health of the area and city.

Developers Collaborative completed the needed leg work, earning critical support from the city, which allowed for rezoning the former high school building for commercial use. Essex Preservation Consulting expanded the existing National Register historic district to add the midcentury high school, which had recently turned 50 –years old, allowing for the use of state and federal tax credits.

Capital repairs sorely needed for years were front and center for the project team led by Archetype Architects and Portland Builders. The rehabilitation maintained the historic, modernist character of the vacant school, while upgrading the facility with all new systems, including sprinklers, heating, and mechanicals. Roof replacement and repairs to the pool were also required. Upgrading an institutional building through the height of the pandemic encouraged the introduction of a state-of-the-art UV air filtration system.

Repurposing the high school building has enhanced a sense of community in the Deering Center Neighborhood and within the Stevens Square Campus. Looking inward, the community center is a significant hub for residents of the adjacent Motherhouse, the 1906 convent converted into a mix of senior, affordable, and market rate apartments, and Stevens Square at Baxter Woods, a 55+ lifestyle community that will total five buildings with over 100 condos.

The preserved gymnasium and 480-seat auditorium provide a multitude of uses, while the remainder of the school interior now serves as a 96-child daycare, full-service health and wellness center, café, fitness center, and commercial office space adapted from the former classrooms. The local businesses that now occupy Stevens Square Community Center provide 70 jobs, half of which are new. The businesses include speech therapy, a youth justice nonprofit, architecture firm, and a family counseling office. Developers Collaborative also relocated there.

The community center provides informal gathering spaces where campus residents and members of the public can interact and build bonds with their neighbors, enhancing personal well-being in an era where chronic loneliness and social isolation are widespread. The intergenerational relationships once shared between student and sister are now forged between senior residents and youth basketball players. Alumni and former Sisters can still visit the site, reaffirming existing bonds while forming new ones in a renewed ethos of community.

The Hammond, Bangor

Often, banks were designed with architecture to instill trust and the promise of permanence to customers storing their money for safe keeping. With its imposing colonnade and heavy brick, granite, and limestone façade, the Merrill Trust Company Building did just that! But in enduring, flexibility is needed to adapt and evolve.

The Merrill Trust Company Building was designed by Newman & Harris Architects, of New York and Philadelphia, and completed in 1906. The striking Classical features remaining today are only a portion of the grand architectural detail that graced the building. As built, the bank occupied only half of the first story, with retail space filling the remainder and professional office space on the upper floors. The bank portion of the building was embellished with a two-story engaged colonnade below an attic story faced with terra cotta ornament and a balustrade. The Merrill Trust Company Building provided an early example of the Neoclassical Style in the city, and after surviving the great 1911 fire, would be influential in the design of buildings in a reconstructed Bangor.    

The bank was quick to evolve after its construction. In 1914, the need for a board room led to a one-story addition to the north, and a merger with another bank meant expanding into the entire first floor two years later. A full-width colonnade echoed this expansion on the exterior. In the mid-1940s, the ornamentation on the attic story was removed. Mid-century expansions resulted in a larger first floor and a drive-up teller window.

By 2020, The Bangor Chamber of Commerce was the only tenant. The second and third floor interiors had been significantly altered over time, leaving only trace evidence of the original plan and finishes – historic windows, limited wainscotting, and several vault doors. Historic hardwood flooring was buried under several layers. The historic stair remained from the first to second floors but had been removed from the second to third. A skylight that once permitted light into the stairwell, had been hidden by a drop ceiling.

During an extended stay in Bangor, real estate developer Dash Davidson saw potential in the city and in talking with others, learned about the area’s renaissance as a place to live, work, and play. Coming from a long line of preservationists, it was easy for Dash, and High Tide Capital, to envision a renewed Merrill Trust Company Building that would benefit from the momentum of the nearby restaurants and stores comprising Bangor’s historic urban core. What emerged was The Hammond.

Work on the exterior was a combination of repairing old elements and introducing new features. The construction team, led by Pike Properties, rehabilitated the historic masonry, stamped metal cornice, and existing windows. [Hammond 8] Several new window openings were added on what had originally been a party wall, rooftop decks were constructed for tenants, and a solar array was affixed to the flat roof, hidden behind the parapet.  

 The chamber of commerce remained as an anchor tenant on the first floor, while the upper floors were rehabilitated and adapted into eight new apartments. WBRC Architects led the interior build-out – historic elements remained and were restored, including the hardwood floors and original ceiling heights. The concrete vaults were opened into adjoining rooms by fixing the historic doors open and installing new entry doors in each unit. Finally, the modern staircases were removed to make way for stairs appropriately designed for their historic context. The building was transformed in under two years with all the units leased before the project wrapped up.

The Hammond now stands as a model for the rehabilitation of other significant buildings using state and federal historic tax credits throughout the heart of downtown Bangor.

The Lemont Block, Brunswick

In April 1871, The Bowdoin Orient published, “nothing which has been done in Brunswick for many years has been productive of so much benefit to the town, and the pleasure to the students, as the erection of the Lemont Hall.” 150 years later, partners Aaron Turkel and Cleo Vauban set out to ensure the statement still rings true. Representing a new generation of Mainers, they stepped up to return The Lemont Block as a working commercial, residential, and community space, assembling a creative team of local architects, engineers, lenders, and contractors.

The Lemont Block was constructed in 1870 and originally designed with retail spaces on the ground level and gathering spaces on the upper floors. Lemont Hall, the large two-story auditorium on the second-floor hosted lectures, events, and meetings. Frederick Douglass spoke there during his visit to Brunswick, as did Joshua Chamberlain. The Knights of Pythias met in Lemont Hall, while the affiliated Pythian Sisters and later the Masons, used the smaller meeting space encompassing the fourth floor.

Aaron and Cleo purchased the building in 2019, when only the three storefronts on the first floor were occupied. Because of building code issues, the upper floors of the building sat vacant for decades, allowing deferred maintenance and roof leaks to multiply. The scope of work included maintaining the first-floor storefronts, rehabilitating Lemont Hall as an event space, and converting spaces on the second, third, and fourth floors into five residential units.

In addition to the challenges of rehabilitating a historic building, there were no comparable projects in Brunswick or the region on which to base a financing plan. The Lemont Block had to blaze their own trail, which included leveraging state and federal historic tax credits. Bath Savings Institution and CEI stepped in to provide essential financial support. 

Driven by a shared ethos and common refrain heard on the job site, “they don’t build them like they used to,” the project team got started. Nancy Barba and Tim Morrison of Barba + Wheelock headed up project design with Mike Cunningham, of Lincoln/Haney Engineering Associates, serving as the structural engineer. Peter Warren and his team at Warren Construction led construction. Unfortunately, Peter passed away before he could see the project come to fruition.

The Hall’s tin ceiling and ornate cornice work was preserved, the original windows restored, and the yellowed plexiglass storm panels removed to return natural light to the hall. Steel beams were installed to support the roof and a sprinkler system was added. The rear staircase was too steep to meet modern codes, so an elevator was skillfully located so as not to disturb active retail operations on the first floor or assembly halls on the upper stories. A new fire stair addition was sited at the rear of the building. Tony Castro carefully restored the decorative plaster cornice and stenciling in the fourth-floor hall, leaving a corner intact to showcase the original painted motif.

The pandemic delayed the project by almost a year, but it also revealed the resilience of The Lemont Block. After a commercial retailer broke their lease in 2020, Aaron and Cleo programmed the space as a lifeline for local artists who relied on craft fairs that were indefinitely cancelled. The Lemont Block Collective was born and continues in the building as a gallery and retail space for Maine-based artists and makers.

Since assuming ownership in 2019, the storefronts have remained full and the upper floors converted into five residential units, building on the already vibrant, amenity-filled downtown corridor. The newly rehabilitated 299-person event space has already hosted several community events including a gala to receive the Brunswick Downtown Association’s 2022 Historic Preservation Award, a small gesture from the town to show the impact of the building’s revitalization.

The Lemont Block again provides a physical place to host celebrations, provide learning opportunities, and cement local culture.

Building 12, Portland

Preserving a significant building can take many forms. When faced with the desire and need to preserve Building 12, a structure significant to The Portland Company and Maine’s industrial past, Portland Foreside hatched a plan that would require careful documentation, disassembly, and rebuilding.

The Portland Company was established in 1846 by John Poor to produce locomotives to meet the increasing demands of the new, fast-growing railroads, and equipment for other Maine industries. Building 12, the Pattern Building Storehouse, was where handmade, wood patterns used to cast locomotive parts were designed, produced, and stored. The brick walls and slate roof were intended to prevent destruction of the patterns from fire. The company remained in business until 1982. It’s complex later saw a variety of uses, most notably the site of Portland’s popular flower and boat shows.  

Enter Casey Prentice & Kevin Costello, whose bold plan to transform the former Portland Company complex into a mixed-use neighborhood would require addressing the c. 1895 Building 12. In 2014, a detailed engineer’s report concluded Building 12 was in poor condition, particularly the slate roof, exterior brick masonry, and timber frame structure. However, the pattern house was integral to the Portland Company Historic District, and any plans required approval by Portland’s Historic Preservation Board. Portland Foreside’s development plan also called for a 100,000 square-foot office building, sited on the footprint of Building 12. To make way for new construction, the Preservation Board required Building 12 be relocated and preserved for the public good. Close consultation between the design team, City preservation staff and board, and preservation advocates, led to the plan to deconstruct, salvage, and rebuild at a new location 200 feet away.

To ensure accurate reconstruction and reuse of existing materials, Consigli developed a precise documentation program. The building’s exterior was documented utilizing LiDAR Scanning and 360-degree photography. Masons then carefully dismantled the brick exterior, cleaning individual bricks and discarding any defective brick from the inner core. Timber joists, columns, and wooden floorboards were salvaged for reuse. Consigli masons reconstructed the building brick-by-brick to its original condition, recreating its coursing, character, and imperfections. Bruner/Cott Architects ensured the reconstructed exterior maintained its historic integrity while designing a new internal structure using steel and composite slabs, modern insulated walls and roofing system, and reproduction windows. Dark gray brick was used as infill on part of the exterior as a nod to where the facade once connected with the now-demolished Building 11.

Building 12 now houses office and residential space on the upper floors and a new restaurant on the ground floor. Offering up locally sourced, modern New England Cuisine, TWELVE has already become a destination in Portland’s acclaimed food scene. Woodhull Construction and L. Bonime Design executed the interior design of restaurant TWELVE, using wood salvaged from the original building.

The precise documentation and careful reconstruction of the historic Building 12 allowed a structure on the brink of collapse to bring new life to a once inaccessible and unused part of Portland’s waterfront, serving as a first course of Portland Foreside’s plan to bring housing, office space, restaurants, retail, and community space.

Founders Hall, Pittsfield

When the leadership of Maine Central Institute (MCI) planned to rehabilitate Founders Hall, it was also necessary to prepare the building for the next generation of students.

MCI was founded by the same five Maine businessmen who founded Bates College and was intended to serve as a preparatory school positioned near the geographic center of the state. In 1868, the State of Maine granted MCI a charter and the cornerstone of Founders Hall was laid two years later. The sophisticated Italianate building is an excellent example of mid-19th century academic architecture with an elaborate wood cornice, rounded arch windows, and an octagonal bell tower. In recognition of its history and architecture, Founders Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Over the years, much of the building, particularly the basement and attic, had become de facto storage space, accumulating teaching material and furniture. Its twelve classrooms and performance hall were serviced by only one bathroom. Moisture issues in the basement would require excavation and waterproofing measures.

Following nearly two decades of efforts to renovate Founders Hall, a concerted capital campaign supported by the school’s Trustees and loyal alumni base jumpstarted the project. In the spring of 2021, Cianbro, a Pittsfield-based construction company with strong ties to MCI, commenced the 18-month project. Tim Archibald, Principal of Midwest Architecture Studio, and MCI class of ’84, along with Plymouth Engineering Inc. and Hewett & Whitney Engineers made up the design team.

To increase access to the building, the design team created a new ADA compliant entrance and accessible bathrooms on each floor. An older renovation plan called for the addition of an elevator tower, but the design team was able to integrate an elevator inside the building’s envelope linking all floors. The original wood floors and wainscotting were refinished in each classroom. The performance space, Powers Hall, was given extra care, including new theatrical lighting, sound system, and audio-visual equipment with livestreaming capability. Along with installation of a new sprinkler and fire alarm system, the design team renovated the existing stair halls to create fire-rated corridors. Fresh air ventilation, a new radiant heat system, electrical service, energy efficient lighting, and fiber optic network will serve the building well into the future. Construction was crowned with restoration of the iconic cupola, and the bell automated for ringing.

The renovated Founders Hall has enhanced MCI’s ability to recruit students from across the globe. The investment on campus reaches into the community, where local businesses are frequented by students and their families, and increased programming leads to more jobs in central Maine. Additionally, the school’s internationally renowned Bossov Ballet Theatre troupe now has a spectacular rehearsal and performance space in Powers Hall.

The rehabilitation of Founders Hall has not only ensured Maine Central Institute’s history is preserved, but has prepared the school’s edifice to serve as the hub of education in Pittsfield, Maine, for another 150 years.

Freeport Historical Society, Freeport

To reaffirm its position as an anchor of Main Street, the Freeport Historical Society transformed their Harrington House property to bring universal access to the campus and rehouse irreplaceable collections in a secure, climate-controlled vault.

Harrington House was built c. 1831 by local merchant Enoch Harrington and his wife, Eliza Nye. The original 14-acre parcel included extensive gardens and orchards, and a carriage barn. The transitional Greek Revival-style house was constructed with locally made brick and quarried granite. Miss Helen Randall, a local artist who died in 1976, was the last private individual to own the property, which the FHS acquired in 1977 through the generosity of Eleanor H. Smith and the Smith Family. That same year, it was listed as part of the National Register-listed Main Street Historic District.

While the main brick house was well-maintained under 45 years of FHS stewardship, existing granite stairs made access challenging and once inside, programming space was limited and serviced by only one bathroom. Access ramps would have overtaken much of the courtyard, significantly altering the landscape. The ell and porch required structural repairs, while the carriage house was plagued by drainage issues and was sinking into the ground. The most pressing challenge was the less-than-ideal use of the building for archival and collections storage. Archival boxes were double-stacked to the ceiling, while objects and textiles were stored without climate control measures. 

When the needs for this project were first shared with FHS membership, spontaneous and overwhelming generosity came from George and Joyce Denney who publicly pledged $1 million. This launched a campaign that raised another $350,000, including $50,000 leadership gifts from L.L.Bean, Linda Bean, and Diana Bean, and support from 200 other donors with contributions ranging from $25 to $25,000.

None of the work, however, could have been possible without the leadership of James C. Cram, past executive director of FHS who championed this project from beginning to end and stepped in to serve as general contractor, saving over $200,000 in fees. Jim pursued, recruited, assembled, and cajoled an all-star team of local builders, movers, painters, and landscapers. While serving as the chief fundraiser and planner, Jim could also be found with a hammer or paintbrush in hand until every detail was complete.

The project had four main goals: create safe and secure collections storage, make the building accessible, stabilize the ell, and stabilize the barn. After a thorough search, FHS chose Austin Smith of Simons Architects to lead the design. All previous plans to make the building and its side entrance accessible required sacrificing much of the courtyard for multiple switchbacks of ramp. To solve this problem, the barn was lifted and moved six feet to make room for the new ramp, then set down on a new foundation and floor system. The improvements allowed FHS to continue leasing this building for commercial uses. A new storage vault, designed to match the barn, was erected entirely of non-combustible materials to safeguard the tangible heritage of the people, industry, and culture of Freeport.

With the collections safely stored, the ell was stabilized and rehabilitated, making space for a new research room, reception area, and accessible restroom where users have a direct view of the original five-hole privy. The porch was adapted as the new main entrance with a ramp leading from the parking lot. The landscape and gardens, tended by dedicated volunteers, were also redesigned with ADA-compliant walkways. All for the enjoyment of Freeport residents and the ten thousand visitors the campus receives each year.

Isle au Haut Lighthouse, Isle au Haut

Each of Maine’s 65 lighthouses is an integral part of the state’s maritime history and active marine economy. Admired by tourists arriving on the island to enjoy the remote parts of Acadia National Park and relied upon as an active navigational aid for resident fishermen, the Isle au Haut Lighthouse is no exception and when its future was in jeopardy, year-round and summer residents worked together to save it.

Built in 1907, the Robinson Point Fog Station, now called The Isle au Haut Lighthouse, was the last lighthouse erected in Maine. Its purpose was specifically to guide the New England ground fishing fleet into safe harbor during storms. In 1934, the lighthouse tower and the keeper’s house were separated. The house was sold off as a cost-saving measure during the Great Depression and has been privately operated as an inn. The federal government transferred ownership of the lighthouse tower to the Town of Isle au Haut in 1998, and it remains an active navigational aid today.

However, years of deferred maintenance and exposure to the harsh ocean elements left the lighthouse in a state of near structural failure. In 2016, the Isle au Haut Select Board and the town’s Lighthouse Committee received a planning grant from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to assess building conditions and develop restoration plans. The assessment confirmed the worst: the mortar between the massive granite foundation blocks had been all but washed out, the bricks on the tower were failing, original cast iron elements had corroded, and steel girders supporting the interior floors needed to be reset. That same year, supporters formed the Friends of Isle au Haut Lighthouse, a nonprofit tasked with raising the funds needed for the work.  

Sue Chamberlain, past president of the Friends Group who led fundraising efforts, attributes a great deal of their success to Molly Siegel and Alison Richardson, who sought pledges for a swim around the island to raise awareness. As a result, most of the $350,000 raised for the project came from individual giving, supplemented by $40,000 in grants from the Belvedere Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Knowles Industrial Services was chosen as the lead contractor for the project. The firm’s experience and knowledge in the restoration of historic masonry was essential, as was their ability to plan, mobilize, and work on one of Maine’s coastal islands. The lighthouse’s remote location proved to be among the project’s greatest challenges. Working with a tight timeline and budget, everything needed to arrive onsite as part of the initial barge delivery or carried by hand on the ferry.

Work on the lighthouse lasted four months and targeted the tower’s masonry and steel structure. Guided by plans developed in partnership with Gartley & Dorsky Engineering, the entire outer and parts of the inner wythes of brick on the north half of the tower required removal and relaying. At the base of the tower, masons fully repointed the granite foundation, while interior structural steel and doors were replaced.

With the restoration substantively complete, supporters can sigh a breath of relief. Plans to repair the railing around the light and reinforce the access bridge are in place, marking the last steps to permit safe access.

Marguerite Emerson House, Portland

Until very recently, this old farmhouse along Capisic Street was locally referred to as “The Haunted House.” To Vana Carmona, who grew up in Portland and remembered the house from her childhood, it was much more. When the City of Portland acquired the property and marketed it as a teardown in 2019, Vana jumped on the opportunity. To her it was simple, she had to “save it from destruction.”

The c. 1848 farmhouse is an unusual temple-form Greek Revival House, distinguished by a front-gabled roof with a fully enclosed pediment and wide entablature. The projecting center section of the building is flanked by inset porches supported by pillars. The farmhouse is a relic of a once rural district on the outskirts of Portland, made more apparent by a handful of other distinctly early 19th century farmhouses nearby. The area was once part of Westbrook, then later a town called Deering. The City of Portland annexed the area at the turn of the century.

Years of vacancy and neglect plagued the house – raccoons took up residence, trespassers vandalized the interior, and the elements hastened deterioration of the structure. The property’s original barn and rear ell addition had been demolished years ago, with only trace evidence and historic photographs informing Vana what they looked like. The roof leaked. While the exterior retained much of its original trim and clapboard siding, most of the original interior features had been removed by the previous owner. Fortunately, Vana uncovered a collection of original doors, mantles, and a few windows with accompanying hardware in a back room. These elements were salvaged, repaired, and later reintroduced in the house. Neighbors helped clear the site of trees and vegetation that had overtaken the site.   

Architect, Margaret Innes, and contractor, Matt Alcorn, worked diligently with Vana to restore the original layout of the house. In a stroke of luck, Vana was able to get in contact with relatives of a previous owner, Marguerite Emerson, who offered stories and photos of the property. In a 1954 letter, Marguerite outlined a personal history of the house – recalling connections between the main house and ell additions, and when the house received its first plumbed toilet in 1946. 

David Barker, the neighborhood historian, also shared useful research showing that the house was the fifth oldest remaining in the area. It switched hands many times through the nineteenth century, most notably to Samuel B. Washburn of Livermore. Washburn quickly sold the property to James and Caroline Emerson, whose family would be the focus of Vana’s intrigue. Their second daughter, Marguerite was born in the house in 1887 and while her siblings would grow up and leave Maine, she stayed. Marguerite was a musician and poet, having published two volumes of her works including a poem entitled, “The Old Home.” She cared for her aging mother until her death, working a variety of jobs throughout Portland. During World War II, Marguerite offered her land for victory gardens, which resulted in 22 plots on site. She remained in the house until her death in 1963. Vana has since named the house in her honor.

In September 2021, with the recommendation of the Historic Review Board, the Portland City Council designated the house a local Landmark, protecting the house along with its many histories and the hard work of Vana and her family, friends, neighbors, and project team.   

River House, Norridgewock

In Norridgewock, along the eastern bank of the Sandy River, what was once modern and critical infrastructure had become obsolete, and its reuse would take some imagination and a determined effort.

At the turn of the 20th century, the Board of Electric Commissioners and Madison Village Corporation voted to develop water power along the river’s French Rips. They commissioned local architecture and engineering firm Snow & Humphreys for design work and Hall & Reed completed construction in 1904. The site included a powerhouse, along with a 300-foot dam, intake canal, and open-flume intake structure.

A little more than 100 years later, the Madison Electric Works station was generating less than 2% of the town’s electricity, and a desire to restore salmon, American Eels, and other sea-run fish in the Kennebec River Basin prompted removal of the dam. The powerhouse was spared, but it quickly fell into a cycle of neglect and vandalism.

While searching for a small, historic industrial building to transform into her home, Amanda Lamb learned about the powerhouse and closed on the property in 2017. Little did she know the herculean task that lay ahead. The 1,400 square-foot building provided a blank canvas, but much work was required to make a livable space. The original wood floors had been irredeemably damaged by the removal of the turbine and other heavy equipment, and the interior walls were covered in peeling lead paint. The industrial building had never required plumbing or a heating system. All nine existing windows were in need of a full restoration. Among the toughest challenges, would be the 14-ton generator left behind by Madison Electric Works which occupied nearly a quarter of the space.

Shortly after starting the work, Amanda encountered an unexpected hurdle. The town issued a stop-work-order due to zoning and flood plain issues. After attending every planning board meeting for a year – even less glamorous then abating lead paint – Amanda secured the permissions needed to proceed. She now counts the Norridgewock Planning Board, Town Manager, and code enforcement officer among the allies that made the project possible.

Amanda proudly tackled a lot of the work herself, calling upon talented friends for help. She engaged professionals for specialized tasks including pouring concrete, trenching, propane installation, and stonework. James Pollis, a local plumber and electrician, was among those that helped.

After slow and steady progress, drilling through three feet of granite foundation to introduce plumbing to the building for the first time in its 100-year history felt like a turning point! Build out of the bathroom and kitchen followed, as well as installation of a radiant heating system. A new concrete floor and fresh coat of white paint on the walls and ceiling brought the space together.   

The final task was finding entry doors, as the originals were lost to a flood in 1987. Keeping with the industrial spirit of the building, Amanda salvaged replacements from a mill in Biddeford. After five years of hard work, determination, and a few too many public meetings, the River House was complete.

With recognition of this project, Amanda hopes others will be emboldened to revive forgotten industrial buildings for their own use, also benefiting Maine communities. Having been a recreational spot for so locals over the years, Amanda still allows river access for fishing, boating, and swimming, which also provides an opportunity to show folks the repurposed powerhouse in all its glory. 

Judy Barrington, Bath

Preservation of a historic building or neighborhood first relies upon the commitment of a steward. For more than 50 years, Judy Barrington has been among the lead stewards of the City of Bath and surrounding Sagadahoc County, ensuring the historic fabric of Midcoast Maine is maintained for and appreciated by future generations.     

Having grown up in an early 18th century house on Massachusetts’s South Shore, Judy was primed for preservation from the beginning. Her appreciation for historic buildings was cemented while studying art history, American studies, and natural sciences at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Judy and her husband, an engineer hoping to secure a job at Bath Iron Works, moved to Maine in 1965. Judy was among the founding members of the Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., a nonprofit formed in 1971 to prevent the demolition of Bath’s Winter Street Church. Judy’s professional career as a scientific illustrator and photographer for Maine Medical Center easily translated to the graphic design needs of the fledgling nonprofit.

Judy worked on several early projects. In the early 1970s, she helped advocate for a renewed downtown Bath, making models of restored storefronts to counter the looming threat of urban renewal. Preservationists and like-minded partners prevailed over proposals to demolish the historic buildings, protecting one of Bath’s greatest assets – its built heritage. She also served as photographer for the first survey of historic houses in Bath from 1974-1979.

Following her retirement in 2001, Judy became more involved as a Trustee of SPI, serving as Board President from 2001-2004 and Co-President from 2005-2007. Judy led the charge on many of SPI’s public-facing initiatives, notably the historic house plaque program. The recognizable signs are evident all over Bath, identifying historic homes and engaging the public. Each request for plaque includes a research packet with deed information, tax data, census records, and genealogical documentation specific to each house, spanning the entire line of owners.

Also of particular note, is the architecture coloring book Judy developed for 4th graders in Sagadahoc County, intended to educate children on the importance of the buildings around them and to pass along that message to their parents!     

Judy’s efforts were not limited to SPI. She was also a charter member of the City’s Historic District Architectural Review Board in 1999 and helped draft the original design guidelines for Bath’s historic district. She long participated in Bath’s Main Street program, serving on its Design Committee. In addition, Judy shared her time with Maine Preservation, serving two, six-year terms as a Trustee, chairing our easement committee and co-chairing the outreach committee. She helped design brochures and completed photographic documentation for a preservation easement that will protect the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in perpetuity.

And if all of this was not enough, Judy and her husband saved their current home, a c. 1803 Federal Style house, after plans to widen the approach to Carlton Bridge guaranteed its demolition. In 1984, with the help of a local contractor, they carefully deconstructed the post-and-beam house and relocated it to safety.

You will still find Judy at the SPI office in the basement of Winter Street Church, ready to answer questions about your historic house, plan the next tour, and ensure Bath’s historic buildings are kept safe.