Design Wire August 2025
News designed for you
New York City-based hotel group KASA recently opened a 20-bed boutique hotel in Skowhegan’s Spinning Mill called THE SKOWHEGAN BY KASA, the group’s first property in Maine. Each thoughtfully designed room features modern accommodations inspired by the state’s natural beauty, as well as a fully equipped kitchenette and stunning oversized windows. “Reimagining the Spinning Mill into a beautiful property designed for the modern traveler is an exciting milestone for us,” said Roman Pedan, CEO and founder of Kasa, in a press release. “This transformation goes beyond revitalizing a historic building; it’s about creating a premier destination that seamlessly blends heritage with modern hospitality. We’re excited to introduce a space that enhances the town’s tourism and economic landscape.” In addition to the hotel, the newly repurposed Spinning Mill will house a farm-to-table restaurant and brewery tasting room run by MAINE GRAINS, along with 41 residential units, a fitness center, and office space.
ESTABROOK’S, a Yarmouth-based, family-run garden center and nursery, recently completed a state-of-the-art commercial greenhouse in Pownal that doubles the company’s production capacity to 209,000 plants (including annuals, perennials, herbs, and vegetable seedlings) at any given time. The 55,000-square-foot facility, which was supplied and built on-site by ATTKO, features computer-controlled watering, fertilizing, and monitoring systems, mechanized curtains, automated radiant floors, and heated piping along the walls and roof. Cumberland firm SEVEE AND MAHER ENGINEERS handled the project’s site work.
A $52.6 million overhaul to the PRESQUE ISLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT began this spring, including a brand-new $38.4 million passenger terminal to replace the 1952-era facility, which was originally constructed as a fire rescue building for the PRESQUE ISLE AIR FORCE BASE. SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS, who secured $20.5 million in funding for the construction, participated in the groundbreaking and noted that “Presque Isle International Airport is a vital hub for Aroostook County, connecting northern Maine to the rest of the country and supporting economic development throughout the region. This new terminal will improve the passenger experience, ensure compliance with federal safety standards, and support future growth for generations to come.” A/Z CORP is the terminal project’s general contractor, while SODERBERG CONSTRUCTION CO., HOYLE TANNER, and
AECOM are working on other aspects of the airport’s upgrade.
Nonprofit organization INDIGO ARTS ALLIANCE has purchased their 8,000-square-foot purpose-built studio at 60 Cove Street in Portland’s East Bayside. Made possible through 18 months of dedicated fundraising efforts, the acquisition of the build- ing represents a significant milestone for the first Black-owned, Black-led, Black- and Brown-centered arts and culture nonprofit in the state. “In a time when cultural memory is under siege, the day-to-day work of the organization serves as a radical affirmation that Black and Brown histories, voices, and futures are not only worthy of preservation, but essential to the health of our collective humanity,” said Mia Del Bene, systems and communications manager, in a statement. To date, the organization has supported 73 artist residents representing cultural lineages from 21 countries.
Industrial design company BOULD has released an innovative countertop appliance called SPOUT, which extracts humidity from the air and transforms it into drinkable water using atmospheric water generation technology. Inside the device, a condensation system captures moisture, which then undergoes a rigorous filtration and mineralization process, resulting in fresh, clean water collected in a sleek pitcher. The pitcher is complete with lighting and an ergonomic handle, making it suitable for drinking and cooking. Under optimal conditions, the unit can produce 2.5 gallons of water per day, offering a sustainable alternative to bottled water that reduces plastic waste, carbon emissions, and water transport-related emissions.
Three new commercial buildings in the TOWN CENTER at SCARBOROUGH DOWNS will offer 144,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. A MARKET BASKET supermarket, announced last year, will become the center’s first retail tenant; ALLAGASH and BITE INTO MAINE have signed on to join the site’s retail and office structure; and a new building designed for a small restaurant or coffee shop is in the works. The development is currently offering 96 high-end residential units priced at just under $400,000. According to MaineBiz, the town center will be surrounded by a green space with tree-lined sidewalks and trails.
Following nearly a decade of collaboration between EAST BROWN COW and SAFDIE ARCHITECTS, the architecture and urban design firm unveiled a comprehensive design vision that reimagines Portland’s CANAL PLAZA BLOCK into a district called OLD PORT SQUARE. The four-acre site would feature a timber and glass pavilion, updated retail storefronts, restaurants, a hotel, residences, offices, parking, and outdoor community spaces, all while combining new construction with the revitalization of existing structures. An impressive 30-story, 380-foot-tall residential and hospitality tower designed by Safdie Architects, which would become the tallest structure in Maine, is inspired by the state’s iconic lighthouses; on the top floor, a public sky lobby and restaurant will offer 360-degree views of Casco Bay and the White Mountains. Award-winning design firm PENTAGRAM is behind the project’s name and brand, and MICHAEL BOUCHER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE is collaborating on the landscape design.
Bestselling author, retired physician, and Maine resident TESS GERRITSEN initiated a matching challenge to raise capital for the state’s first Asian American community center in Westbrook supported by KHMER MAINE, WATT SAMAKI TEMPLE, the FILIPINO AMERICAN SAMAHAN OF MAINE, the CHINESE AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION OF MAINE, and other organizations (see Design Wire November/December 2024). Gerritsen intends to match every dollar up to $50,000 donated to the $10 million campaign through the end of October 2025. “What a wonderful idea for Maine: a place where everyone can learn about Asian cultures, join in their festivities, hear their languages, and sample their wide variety of foods. It promises to be an enriching place for all,” Gerritsen told MaineBiz. In addition, COFFEE BY DESIGN will be donating $2 from every sale of their medium roast AANHPI Blend featuring beans from Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, and India’s KaadKaapi collective.