Casco Bay Ferry Terminal Addition and Renovation

Photos

credits: Robert Benson Photography

Project Name

Casco Bay Ferry Terminal Addition and Renovation

The Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal was built in 1988, at a time when CBITD was serving a smaller population. As Terminal use has more than doubled, more people and freight are being serviced by the larger ferryboats at Gates 4 and 5. Passengers sitting in the former cramped waiting room could not see their gate or boat’s arrival, so they would choose to wait outside, often in inclement weather.

Our challenge was to figure out how to create a stronger, more accessible connection between the waiting room and Gates 4 and 5, and how to improve the flow of pedestrians, vehicles, and freight through the site with safety and legibility in mind. The new addition and reconfigured plaza have transformed the formerly dark, crowded, and inwardly looking ferry terminal into an open, joyful public space on Portland’s waterfront, accessible to patrons of all abilities. By moving the waiting room to the south end of the terminal, overlooking the harbor and Gates 4 and 5, the new addition has connected all riders directly to the beauty and allure of the island ferry experience.

The project included removing the existing maintenance area and mechanical room to create space for a 4,900 SF addition that houses the expanded waiting room, more efficient ticket and freight offices, and larger, more serviceable ADA compliant restrooms. The new waiting room is a 20-foot high light-filled space surrounded by windows with views to the harbor and the ferry boats. There are automatic doors at all entry points, and ample floor space for ease of mobility. The south wall of the waiting room, facing the harbor and Gates 4 and 5, literally folds up and out of the way during the summer months, removing any barrier between the waiting room, the ferry boats, and the waterfront experience.

Architecture or A/E Firm Name

Scott Simons Architects, LLC

Architect

Austin Smith

Team

Scott Simons, Ryan Kanteres, Harry Hepburn, Chris Berry

Consultants

Civil Engineer: Woodard & Curran, Inc., Specifications: Lowell Specifications, Inc., MEP/FP Engineers: Allied Engineering, Structural Engineers: Becker Structural Engineers, Waterfront Consultant: Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Lighting Designer: Peter Knuppel, Mural Designer: Casady Design

Location

56 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 04101

Client

Casco Bay Island Transit District

General Contractor

Landry/French Construction Company