The rehabilitation of the Boyd Block returned the building to its architectural roots while strengthening its connection to the urban fabric of Portland.
The Boyd Block was designed by Portland architect George M. Harding as part of the city’s rapid reconstruction efforts following the Great Fire of 1866. The Italianate-style commercial block is among five Harding-designed buildings erected along Middle and Exchange Streets. From its earliest days, banking and retail filled its ground floor, while the upper floors provided offices for lawyers, engineers, and architects. Over time, the building underwent significant alterations, most notably in the 1920s when a fifth floor was added, original roof elements were removed, storefronts were reconfigured, and windows were replaced. In the 1970s, Jim’s Bar & Grill converted a storefront bay into a garage!
Even as interest and investment returned to downtown, the Boyd Block slumbered. Enter East Brown Cow. The Old Port stalwarts purchased the building in 2021 and embarked on a four-year journey to shore up the structure, reverse piecemeal renovations, and reinstate nineteenth-century details.
The project involved building-wide interventions that balanced preservation with modern use. The design team was led by Simons Architects with Consigli Construction serving as the construction manager. Structurally, the building had been heavily modified with compromised circulation systems, altered storefront openings, and a basement that lacked full usability. The solution? The building was quite literally taken apart—at one point, you could stand in the basement and see the roof rafters—and reconstructed to meticulous detail.
The building envelope received careful attention: repointing of the brick facade, restoration of brownstone and sandstone detailing, a new roof, and installation of custom windows crafted by Green Mountain Window that returned historic profiles to the arched brick openings.
One of the most significant preservation achievements was the recovery and restoration of original interior millwork. Decades-old false walls were removed to reveal intact 1867-era window casings, baseboards, and trim. These were carefully cataloged, restored, and reinstalled. Custom knives were fabricated to accurately replicate the original profiles when needed.
Additional preserved features include the original lobby newel post and banister and historic mosaic flooring. Historic paint analysis led by Hanson Historic Consulting guided the restoration of exterior color schemes and textures, further reinforcing the building’s 19th-century character.
The project numbers are equally striking. The $22 million project was backed by federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits and required 241,593 total work-hours from the construction trades and craftspeople including M.R. Brewer, Knowles Industrial Services, Heritage Co. Coppersmiths, and Vintage Glass Works. Crews rebuilt 4,400 feet of floor plates and installed 104 custom wood windows.
The ground floor now features two Maine businesses, Rough & Tumble and Bangor Savings Bank. The upper floors feature 16 one- and two-bedroom lofts as part of The Docent’s Collection, where guests enjoy short-term stays in strikingly modern interiors juxtaposed with preserved historic architecture.
Today, the rehabilitated Boyd Block serves as a visual and civic anchor—an illuminated nexus within the Old Port that underscores the value of thoughtful historic preservation as a tool for urban vitality.
Project Participants:
East Brown Cow
Simons Architects
Consigli Construction
Thornton Tomasetti
Woodard & Curran
Ealain Studio
Lam Partners
Hanson Historic Consulting
Saco & Biddeford Savings
M.R. Brewer
Green Mountain Window
Knowles Industrial Services
Heritage Co. Coppersmiths
Vintage Glass Works
Longfellow Communications
Photo Credits: City of Portland, East Brown Cow, Longfellow Communications, Maine Historical Society, Portland Public Library, Robert Umenhofer Photography
