The Working Waterfront by GreenSpur draws inspiration from the rich boat-building history of Camden, Maine, and the organized chaos of the old wharf designs that characterize the region. Playing with independent volumes and irregular rooflines, the development sees the intersection of modern design and materials with traditional building elements like cedar shakes.
In total, 33,000 square feet of state-of-the-art infrastructure replaces the previous hodge-podge of energy-inefficient buildings. The company’s rigging, mechanics, electronics, and carpentry workshops are housed in a new warehouse. At the same time, customer-friendly offices, lounge spaces for boaters, boat services, overnight accommodations, retail shops, a distillery, and a restaurant face the working waterfront, which now includes an additional 8,300 square feet of publicly accessible boardwalk.
Dealing with a relatively compact space confined by harbor setbacks, FEMA flood plains, and local zoning ordinances, serious discussions occurred to determine the means and methods needed to ensure the project withstands rising tides and extreme weather. Due to these restrictions, the project sits on pilings pinned to bedrock and is raised above the 100-year flood plain to mitigate long-term risk.
Time and cost considerations were central to project planning as there was no way to make the project financially viable with the waterfront out of operation for any substantial period. As such, an efficient steel and concrete structure was pre-fabricated off-site, reducing timelines for constructing the core and shell. The building was completed in 16 months at the cost of $303/square foot.
Located only three-tenths of a mile from downtown Camden, boat owners, craftsmen, local residents, and tourists can easily reach the project. Posted signs lead pedestrians from downtown while courtesy electric vehicle transport is available free of charge. Further to this, a ferry across the marina is provided free of charge by the Working Waterfront.
