The Right Equation for Responsible Development: Spotlight on Boyd Block (178 Middle Street) (Portland)

MEREDA Recognizes its 2025 Notable Project Award Recipients

Each year, the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) recognizes some of the state's most "noteworthy and significant" real estate projects, completed in the previous year. The exemplary projects from across the state, completed in 2025, not only embody MEREDA's belief in responsible real estate development, but also exemplify best practices in the industry, contributing to Maine's economic growth by significant investment of resources and job creation statewide.

This year, MEREDA honored projects from throughout the state, with each receiving special recognition at MEREDA's 2026 "Notable Night" social celebration in April.

In a multi-part series exclusive to the Maine Real Estate Insider published by Mainebiz, we'll provide an up-close look at the most notable commercial development projects of the past year that are helping to fuel Maine's economy in terms of investment and job creation. MEREDA is proud to recognize responsible development based upon criteria including environmental sustainability, economic impact, energy efficiency, difficulty of the development, uniqueness, social impact and job creation.

Mainebiz also featured each of our Notable Project Recipients in their second annual "Groundbreaking Maine " publication. Be sure to check it out!

MEREDA's 2025 Top 7 recipients include:

The Downs, M&R Development (Scarborough)

Estabrook's Pownal Production Facility, Estabrook Farm & Greenhouse, Inc. (Pownal)

UNE Harold & Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, SMRT Architects & Engineers (Portland)

Wedgewood, Avesta Housing & Lewiston Housing (Lewiston)

University of Maine Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Harold Alfond Sports Arena Renovations and Additions , University of Maine (Orono)

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street), East Brown Cow (Portland)

Gehring House, Northern Forest Center (Bethel)

Please join us this week in celebratin g Boyd Block (178 Middle Street).

MEREDA: Describe the building and project.

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): Located at the prominent intersection of Middle and Exchange Streets in Portland's Old Port, the Boyd Block is a five-story Italianate commercial building originally constructed in 1866-1867 following the Great Fire of Portland. Designed by architect George M. Harding, the building has long served as a cornerstone of the city's financial and professional district.

From 2021 through 2025, East Brown Cow undertook a comprehensive, 22-million-dollar renovation and rehabilitation of the Boyd Block, returning the building to the architectural clarity and craftsmanship of Harding's original vision while upgrading it to meet modern building performance standards. The project involved full structural stabilization, excavation and lowering of the basement, complete replacement of building systems, restoration of masonry and facades, and the recreation of historically accurate windows and finishes.

Today, the ground floor is home to Bangor Savings Bank and Rough & Tumble, a Maine-based maker and retailer. The upper floors have been transformed into The Docent's Collection, an award-winning hospitality offering. Its private lofts blend historic architectural detail with contemporary furnishings, welcoming visitors from around the world into the historic heart of downtown Portland. This project has helped to preserve and uplift the urban fabric and architectural history of Portland's Old Port.

MEREDA: What was the impetus for this project?

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): The impetus for the project was driven by East Brown Cow's longstanding focus on stewardship and preserving and revitalizing historic buildings. As a historic, architecturally significant building in the Old Port, the goal was to carefully restore the building and return it to its original design intent while ushering it into the modern era. New hospitality space on its upper floors, as part of The Docent's Collection, and ground-floor retail, also accomplish East Brown Cow's goals to weave the building into the Old Port's urban fabric and better serve the greater downtown community.

MEREDA: How long were you in the planning stages before construction started?

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): East Brown Cow purchased the Boyd Block on January 21, 2021, and spent several months in planning, design, and approvals before construction began in fall 2021.

MEREDA: Tell us about the most challenging aspect of getting this project completed.

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): The rehabilitation of the Boyd Block required overcoming significant structural, logistical, and preservation challenges. Decades of alterations had compromised circulation, floor levels, and architectural integrity. At one point during its renovation, the building was effectively dismantled; you could look up from the basement and see all the way through the roof rafters as foundations were reshored, and the basement excavated and lowered to create usable space.

Reconfiguring stairwells and elevators within a historic structure demanded careful coordination to meet modern code requirements while preserving historic fabric. Recovering original millwork hidden behind false walls required meticulous documentation, restoration, and custom replication where materials were missing.

Executing this work within a dense downtown environment, while maintaining occupied retail spaces and adhering to historic tax credit standards, required exceptional planning and collaboration across the project team.

MEREDA: Something unexpected you learned along the way was….

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): The renovation of 178 Middle Street represents one of the most ambitious historic rehabilitation projects ever completed in Portland. The project combines rigorous historic preservation standards with innovative structural and systems upgrades-the interior of the building was completely rebuilt while the exteriors were brought back to their original glory. The project demonstrates how a 19th-century landmark can be fully modernized without sacrificing integrity. The scale of intervention, quality of craftsmanship, and successful integration of mixed-use retail, banking, and hospitality make the Boyd Block a model for responsible urban redevelopment in Maine.

MEREDA: Now that it's complete, what feature of the project do you think makes it the most notable?

Boyd Block (178 Middle Street): One of the most notable aspects of the Boyd Block project is the strategic decision to convert the upper floors into additional lofts within The Docent's Collection, East Brown Cow's hospitality offering. Preserving Portland's architectural history is of the utmost importance to East Brown Cow and is a core tenet of this hospitality brand. Since its founding in 2019, The Docent's Collection has steadily grown through the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. The 16 new lofts in the Boyd Block signal the brand's continued evolution, alongside their sustained commitment to Portland's urban fabric. Guests staying at 178 Middle Street step inside to find detailed, sophisticated accents, floor-to-ceiling built-ins, Maine-based artwork, curated furniture, and handpicked amenities from beloved, local companies.

Ideally located, the new lofts sit within Old Port Square - a distinctive urban destination that was recently launched by East Brown Cow, in collaboration with Safdie Architects, in 2025. Centered within the Old Port neighborhood, Old Port Square aims to create a new urban heart for all of Portland with hospitality, residences, retail, dining, and community space across a four-acre site. 178 Middle Street will be the hospitality brand's first expansion within the bounds of this site, with the entirety of The Docent's Collection located nearby along Middle Street - offering unmatched proximity to Old Port Square and the entire neighborhood's award-winning restaurants, galleries, boutiques, and entertainment.

For more information on these seven impressive projects, please click here.