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full size factory of the future building UMO - photo is credited to the University of Maine

MEREDA’s Morning Menu – MEREDA Welcomes Dr. Habib Dagher, Executive Director, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, UMO

November 17, 2025

December 16, 2025 - 8:30 - 10:00 amBuffet Breakfast: 8:30-9:00 amProgram: 9:00-10:00 am Location: McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME About the Event:Dr. Habib Dagher will provide ...

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Nominations Now Being Accepted for MEREDA’s 2025 Notable Project Awards

November 14, 2025

Each year, MEREDA identifies and recognizes the most noteworthy and significant Maine commercial development projects from the previous year, all of which embody MEREDA’s belief in responsible development. Nominations are ...

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Aerial view of Notable Project Receipient Nightingale & State Street Campus Redevelopment

The Right Equation for Responsible Development: Spotlight on Nightingale & State Street Campus Redevelopment (Portland)

November 4, 2025

MEREDA Recognizes its 2024 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 ...

MEREDA Recognizes its 2024 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 2024, 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 2025 “Notable Night” social celebration in May. In a multi-part series exclusive to the Maine Real Estate Insider, 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 inaugural “Groundbreaking Maine” publication. Be sure to check it out! https://www.mainebiz.biz/special-edition/groundbreaking-maine-2025 MEREDA’s 2024 Top 9 recipients include: Firehouse Village, Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing (Scarborough) 99 Western Apartments, Mastway Development (Augusta) The Malone Family Tower, MaineHealth and Perkins&Will (Portland) Seaport Community Health Center, Penobscot Community Health Care (Belfast) Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, Elliotsville Foundation (T3 R7 WELS) Vertical Harvest, Vertical Harvest Maine (Westbrook) Stacy M. Symbol Apartments, Westbrook Development Corporation (Westbrook) Nightingale & State Street Campus Redevelopment, NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties (Portland) Front Street Redevelopment, Portland Housing Authority (Portland) Please join us this week in celebrating Nightingale & State Street Campus Redevelopment. MEREDA: Describe the building and project. NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: Redevelopment of the Mercy Hospital State Street campus into a high-density, mixed-income residential campus featuring 260 new apartments and 9 new homes, a self-storage facility, and several small retail spaces is an excellent example of smart growth. The project involved adaptive reuse of the historic hospital building, creation of outdoor public space in a shared woonerf, improvements to existing utility infrastructure, implementation of a Traffic Demand Management Plan to encourage and support alternative forms of transportation, and provision of a range of housing choice (market rate, affordable, and workforce), both for rent and for sale. In addition, the redevelopment transformed surface parking into housing, recreated the street wall along Winter Street, and stitched back together the neighborhood that had been divided when the hospital was built. MEREDA: What was the impetus for this project? NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: 2Northern Light Mercy Hospital issued a Request for Proposals in July of 2018. NewHeight Group was invited to respond along with approximately 50 other firms. NHG submitted a proposal in November 2018 with development team members Community Housing of Maine and the Portland Housing Authority. In December of 2018, NHG was one of three teams invited to interview with the selection committee. In January 2019, NewHeight Group’s successful best and final proposal was selected. MEREDA: That sounds like quite a process. How long were you in the planning stages before construction started? NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: In October of 2019 NewHeight Group executed the Purchase & Sale agreement with Northern Light Health. In December of that year, NewHeight Group entered into an agreement with Redfern Properties to complete the project as 50/50 partners. The acquisition was finalized in February of 2020 (just three weeks before Covid hit!), and the development team launched into rezoning the property, planning, permitting, extension of the period of significance for the existing National Register district, local historic approvals, Part 1 approval from the National Park Service, and hiring Zachau Construction as Construction Manager at-Risk. The project was granted full planning board approval in August of 2021. MEREDA: Tell us about the most challenging aspect of getting this project completed. NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: This project had myriad challenges. Perhaps the largest was that Mercy Hospital, the primary building, was an operating hospital right up until construction start, so the development team was unable to do any exploratory demolition prior to construction start. The building was known to contain asbestos containing material (mostly pipe wrap), but exactly how much was unknown. The building’s low ceilings also presented significant design and coordination challenges. The project also included undergrounding of existing utilities to make room for three new buildings along Winter Street—an extraordinarily complicated undertaking in this location. MEREDA: Something unexpected you learned along the way was…. NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: The development team was surprised to discover that what appeared to be original historic wooden columns buried in the walls were in fact made of concrete wrapped in a wooden veneer. While it is less surprising that many people feel a connection to the old hospital building – births, deaths, a long tenure as employee – the overwhelming number of people with a connection was a surprise. MEREDA: Now that it’s complete, what feature of the project do you think makes it the most notable? NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties: Perhaps the most notable element of this project is the woonerf, a Dutch term meaning “Street for Living” which describes a space shared by pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. The woonerf is interior to the block between the historic hospital building now known as the Nightingale, and the two new construction affordable apartment buildings developed by Community Housing of Maine in partnership with the Portland Housing Authority. The woonerf functions as a shared public outdoor space and binds the buildings into a campus. The flush condition of the woonerf, along with landscaping and seating, invites pedestrian use while also allowing for slow vehicle movement and parking.

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MEREDA’s Fall Conference outlines challenges and opportunities

October 28, 2025

Portland, Maine - MEREDA hosted its Fall Conference on October 23rd where nearly 300 real estate professionals gathered at USM’s Hannaford Hall. The focus of the half-day conference was to ...

Portland, Maine - MEREDA hosted its Fall Conference on October 23rd where nearly 300 real estate professionals gathered at USM’s Hannaford Hall. The focus of the half-day conference was to discuss the challenges faced when completing housing projects and to learn about innovative approaches to increasing the number of housing units completed. Housing creation is one of Maine’s most significant needs and MEREDA’s event provided an opportunity for industry professionals to hear different perspectives from local, regional, and national experts on this important and complex issue. “MEREDA is actively working on solutions at the State and local levels,” explained Shannon Richards, founder of Hay Runner and MEREDA’s volunteer president. “This conference is an opportunity for MEREDA members to hear firsthand from peers who are actively involved in the housing effort on a daily basis.” The conference opened with a keynote presentation from Dr. Christopher Herbert, Managing Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, who cautioned the audience to be prepared for some gloom and doom. As he explained, there’s no silver bullet for the housing crisis. Home affordability is an issue nationwide with no simple solution. And although the situation here is dire, Dr. Herbert assured the audience that housing isn’t as bad in Maine as it is in other parts of the country. And, he left the audience with the optimistic notion that there are innovative – and feasible -- solutions. The morning continued with a mid-year economic update from Kenneth J. Entenmann, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist, NBT Bank/NBT Wealth. Entenmann looked at the impact of tariffs, immigration, taxes and regulation on housing and the overall economy. He sees no sign of a deep dark recession and sees strength in the economy. However, he doesn’t see much that would improve affordability for first-time home buyers. Summing things up, Entenmann said, “Overall, things are less uncertain that a year ago. That doesn’t mean they are all better, but the market does like certainty.” Elizabeth Frazier, Partner at Pierce Atwood, moderated a discussion on municipal challenges faced not only by developers, but also by municipalities. Panelists included Vanessa L. Farr from Haley Ward, Hope Eye from Eastern Maine Development Corp., and Benjamin R.K. Breadmore from the Town of Holden. In that discussion it became clear that with municipal budgets stretched thin, code enforcement officers often carry additional responsibilities, and some ideas were presented to improve the consistency of code enforcement and expediency of permitting. Dr. Herbert returned to the stage to lead a discussion on innovative solutions. The panel included Rebecca Hatfield from Hancock Lumber, Kyle Barker from Primary Projects, and Chris Marshall from GreenMars. The group discussed the pros and cons of a wide variety of housing solutions ranging from modular and panelized construction to tiny homes, condos, single family homes, and co-housing ideas. To make these ideas workable solutions would require some changes both in terms of zoning and expectations of the marketplace. The consensus of the panel was that while not everything will work, it is worth trying new approaches to the development of housing units of all types. With our need for more housing becoming more dire every moment, having collaborative discussions and learning of other creative building solutions is essential for Maine’s future success. MEREDA remains committed to creating the opportunities for experts and novices from all walks of real estate to come together and work together on meaningful solutions that benefit all.

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The Right Equation for Responsible Development: Spotlight on Firehouse Village (Scarborough)

June 17, 2025

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 ...

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 2024, 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 2025 “Notable Night” social celebration in May. In a multi-part series exclusive to the Maine Real Estate Insider, 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 inaugural “Groundbreaking Maine” publication. Be sure to check it out! https://www.mainebiz.biz/special-edition/groundbreaking-maine-2025 MEREDA’s 2024 Top 9 recipients include: Firehouse Village, Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing (Scarborough) 99 Western Apartments, Mastway Development (Augusta) The Malone Family Tower, MaineHealth and Perkins&Will (Portland) Seaport Community Health Center, Penobscot Community Health Center (Belfast) Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, Elliotsville Foundation (T3 R7 WELS) Vertical Harvest, Vertical Harvest Maine (Westbrook) Stacy M. Symbol Apartments, Westbrook Development Corporation (Westbrook) Nightingale & State Street Campus Redevelopment, NewHeight Group & Redfern Properties (Portland) Front Street Redevelopment, Portland Housing Authority (Portland) Please join us this week in celebrating Firehouse Village. MEREDA: Describe the building and project. Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: Firehouse Village is an innovative, adaptive reuse of a former fire and police station into a vibrant, self-contained community modeled after a traditional New England Village reimagined for modern needs. The 2.58-acre site incorporates a central green space abutting retail businesses. There is a curated mix of tenants including a grocery, a seafood retailer, a restaurant, a dry goods store and a community room that is accessible to the entire campus. Augmenting the small village feel is Village Commons, 31 units of affordable housing for people ages 55 and older. This new apartment building, which is owned and operated by Avesta Housing, is a model of sustainable development that achieves Passive House standards for air tightness and exceeds the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 carbon emission goals. MEREDA: What was the impetus for this project? Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: The Town of Scarborough listed for sale its former fire and police stations on U.S. Route 1 and sought a quality development that would potentially save the historic brick buildings. The development team was looking for sites for multi-unit housing and believed that the parcel could creatively be fashioned to meet both the goals of the town and provide critically needed affordable housing. The final product recreates a New England village feel with affordable homes and retail businesses in close proximity on one campus. The project also supports the local fishing and farming industries by providing a market for fresh seafood and groceries, and the community room provides a space for residents of Village Commons and other members of the neighborhood to gather for socialization, educational opportunities, and other activities. MEREDA: That sounds like quite a process. How long were you in the planning stages before construction started? Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: Due to the global pandemic, the planning process was extended for months beyond our expectations. In addition, the development team needed zone changes to address residential and parking requirements. Another priority included maximizing green space on a relatively tight parcel. We were ultimately granted a shared parking approach that alleviates the use of impervious surfaces. MEREDA: Tell us about the most challenging aspect of getting this project completed. Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: The construction phase of the project was completed as Covid-19 became widespread and took a dramatic toll on in-person retail activity. Marketing spaces during this period were extremely challenging, as few retailers were willing to take risks on extended leases. These difficulties were exacerbated by a rapid construction cost escalation caused by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, requiring multiple revisions to the budget. In addition, the location of the site, while optimal for mixed-use infill, posed challenges in that it’s one of Maine’s busiest intersections and located along the popular Route 1 highway. These challenges were overcome by a team approach to think outside the box. MEREDA: Something unexpected you learned along the way was…. Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: Adaptive reuse of existing buildings is usually more challenging and expensive than building from the ground up. Meeting current building and energy codes required a nearly complete gutting of the former fire and police stations. The need for extensive and costly site infrastructure work and upgrades to almost all of the mechanical systems at Firehouse Village added to the budget. Due to the unavailability of certain materials for the initial building design, the development team decided to partially redesign the building with available materials to keep the construction timeline on track while implementing strict safety protocols and contingency plans to ensure the health and wellbeing of workers and the community. MEREDA: Now that it’s complete, what feature of the project do you think makes it the most notable? Firehouse Ventures & Avesta Housing: Firehouse Village is a model of sustainable and inclusive development that benefits both the community and the environment. By repurposing the former fire and police stations, the site preserves the hard- working pride of Maine and creates a welcoming space. The retail/housing mix creates a wonderful synergy, establishing a charming, traditional New England village-inspired setting while providing modern comforts and incorporating sustainable features to address future needs. Residents of the affordable apartment building can fulfill most of their daily needs directly on site, and other amenities such as banking, dining, a sports complex, a public park, the Eastern Trail walkway, and Scarborough Public Library are all within walking distance to the campus. Firehouse Village provides a welcome respite from the busy Route 1 commercial corridor and is a wonderful example of an infill, mixed-use development.

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MEREDA’s Annual “Strikes for Scholars” Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser Raises Scholarship Funds for Maine Students

June 11, 2025

MEREDA is thrilled to announce that its Annual Strikes for Scholars Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser will once again enable the organization to donate a total of $15,000 towards scholarships to Maine students entering ...

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Listen Up! The June 2025 Episode of the “MEREDA Matters” Podcast is Now Available!

June 10, 2025

A Conversation on Community-Based Development with Andrew Silsby of Kennebec Savings Bank and Tim Soley of East Brown Cow Andrew Silsby, President and CEO of Kennebec Savings Bank, and Tim ...

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Listen Up! We’re Doubling Up for Your Listening Pleasure and Have Added a Second May Episode!

June 3, 2025

A Conversation on Bangor and Development with Bob Montgomery-Rice of Bangor Savings Bank and Matthew Lewis of Four Directions Development Corporation Bob Montgomery-Rice, President and CEO of Bangor Savings Bank, and Matthew ...

A Conversation on Bangor and Development with Bob Montgomery-Rice of Bangor Savings Bank and Matthew Lewis of Four Directions Development Corporation Bob Montgomery-Rice, President and CEO of Bangor Savings Bank, and Matthew Lewis, Director of Four Directions Development Corporation, sit down with MEREDA President Shannon Richards for MEREDA Matters - the podcast that lets you listen in on conversations with the people driving responsible development in Maine. In this episode, Montgomery-Rice and Lewis share their insight on the development landscape in the Bangor area. Lewis, a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, provides an overview of his non-profit, which is a Community Development Corporation (CDC) and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), enabling them to provide capital and resources in areas that are difficult for banks to access. Lewis goes on to share how historically Tribal communities have faced barriers to accessing capital, and how Four Directions pioneered a program for home ownership in Tribal Nations. The group goes on to discuss the need for creativity and collaboration in finding solutions to difficult problems like the housing crisis. Montgomery-Rice highlights a success story in Bangor – the Cedar Falls Mobile Home Park – as an example of the opportunities for innovative solutions. The group also delves into the current legislative session; how their work helps provide people access to owning property, which is crucial for wealth-building; and how the Bangor area has development opportunities at a lower price-point than the Portland market. Listen to the episode to learn more! https://mereda-matters.simplecast.com/ Catch up on past episodes while you’re there! The MEREDA Matters podcast is sponsored by Kennebec Savings Bank. Additional Sponsors are Bangor Savings Bank and Clark Insurance, A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company.

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Listen Up! The May 2025 Episode of the “MEREDA Matters” Podcast is Now Available!

May 13, 2025

A Conversation on ReCode Portland with Michael Barton of Reveler and Jason Howe of Preti Flaherty Michael Barton, Managing Director of Real Estate Development at Reveler, and Jason Howe, Partner ...

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Listen Up! We’re Doubling Up for Your Listening Pleasure and Have Added a Second April Episode!

April 29, 2025

Innovation in Maine with Matt O’Malia of TimberHP and Ben Herzog of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center Matt O’Malia, Co-Founder and CEO of TimberHP, and Ben Herzog, Wood Technologist ...

Innovation in Maine with Matt O’Malia of TimberHP and Ben Herzog of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center Matt O’Malia, Co-Founder and CEO of TimberHP, and Ben Herzog, Wood Technologist at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, sit down with MEREDA President Shannon Richards for MEREDA Matters - the podcast that lets you listen in on conversations with people driving responsible development in Maine. In this episode, O’Malia, who is a licensed architect and manufactures wood-based insulation in Maine, and Herzog, who leads Wood Composites research at UMaine with the world’s largest 3D printer, talk about innovation in Maine. O’Malia shares his path from architect to entrepreneur, and discusses what is behind his drive for sustainable innovation. The group goes on to discuss solving problems, getting new products to the marketplace, and collaborating with both the public and private sectors for funding. O’Malia describes how he was able to set up manufacturing in a retired mill in Madison, and the value of using the existing infrastructure and human capital to launch TimberHP. The group also delves into the process behind TimberHP: using the waste product from lumber production - the wood residuals - and converting it into sustainable building products. Herzog also discusses the 3D printer at UMaine, which prints with wood residuals and was able to print an entire house – the BioHome3D, a structure that is completely recyclable. The group then focuses the conversation on the housing crisis and how innovation will be essential to solving the complex issue. What do O’Malia and Herzog see as the future of construction? Listen to the episode to find out! https://mereda-matters.simplecast.com/ Catch up on past episodes while you’re there! The MEREDA Matters podcast is sponsored by Kennebec Savings Bank. Additional Sponsors are Bangor Savings Bank and Clark Insurance, A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company.

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Listen Up! The April 2025 Episode of the “MEREDA Matters” Podcast is Now Available!

April 10, 2025

A Legislative Update with Elizabeth Frazier of Pierce Atwood and Jason Howe of Preti Flaherty Elizabeth (Beth) Frazier, Partner at Pierce Atwood, and Jason Howe, Partner and chair of the ...

A Legislative Update with Elizabeth Frazier of Pierce Atwood and Jason Howe of Preti Flaherty Elizabeth (Beth) Frazier, Partner at Pierce Atwood, and Jason Howe, Partner and chair of the Real Estate and Finance Practice Group at Preti Flaherty, sit down with MEREDA President Shannon Richards for MEREDA Matters - the podcast that lets you listen in on conversations with people driving responsible development in Maine. In this episode, Frazier and Howe provide a legislative update, setting the stage for what is going on in Augusta during the 132nd Legislature. The group focuses their discussion on the three bills that MEREDA has put forth this session including, LD 435, LD1396, and the yet to be printed “WIN” Act. Delving into LD 435, an expansion of the historic tax credit, the group discusses how this piece of legislation pays for itself and acts as an affordable housing booster while also contributing to the state’s climate resilience. LD 1396 is an act that amends Maine’s subdivision standards in two ways. The group discusses the goal for this bill: encouraging small scale infill development in rural areas and promoting the creation of housing units in existing structures such as mills throughout the state. Frazier, Howe, and Richards then go on to explore the upcoming bill known as the “WIN” Act or the “Workforce Infill Neighborhoods” Act. Ultimately, this is a bill that will provide density bonuses to build more workforce housing. The group discusses the need for more regular housing for regular people in Maine. The hope is that this bill will be a “win-win” by incentivizing developers to build and requiring landlords to rent to the “missing middle” of the housing market. What are Frazier and Howe hopeful for in the coming legislation? Listen to the episode to find out! https://mereda-matters.simplecast.com/ Catch up on past episodes while you’re there! The MEREDA Matters podcast is sponsored by Kennebec Savings Bank. Additional Sponsors are Bangor Savings Bank and Clark Insurance, A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company.

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Listen Up! The February 2025 Episode of the “MEREDA Matters” Podcast is Now Available!

February 25, 2025

A Conversation with Ryan Kanteres of Simons Architects, Paul Becker of Thornton Tomasetti, & Matt Tonello of Consigli Construction Ryan Kanteres of Simons Architects, Paul Becker of Thornton Tomasetti, and ...

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A Notable Night… A Social Celebration of 2024’s best projects and MEREDA’s 40 years of supporting responsible development.

February 14, 2025

Event Details May 14, 2025 – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Location: Hannaford Hall - Abromson Community Education Center88 Bedford Street, Portland, ME Each year, MEREDA identifies and recognizes the most ...

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Register for MEREDA’s Premier Event – Feb. 27

February 14, 2025

Registration is open for the Maine Real Estate & Development Association’s (MEREDA’s) Annual Forecast Conference and Member Showcase, which will take place on February 27, 2025. The popular annual event ...

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