Northeastern University Roux Institute
Portland, ME

This project situates a new world-class academic campus on an existing historic industrial waterfront site, restoring the coastal ecology while connecting the new campus to the city park system and regional bike network.

Last year, Northeastern University (NEU) publicly announced its interest in redeveloping a well-known site in the East Dearing neighborhood in Portland, Maine. This coastal site is well-known locally for its historic use of B&M Baked Beans manufacturing. The university’s vision for this post-industrial site is the Initiative for Digital Engineering & Life Sciences (IDEALS). The institute, a non-profit, will be developing the site into the permanent home of the Roux Institute, allowing us to fulfill Northeastern’s unique mission of graduate education, research, entrepreneurship, and partnerships in the City of Portland.

STIMSON, with our collaborators, have been planning for the 13.5-acre site, which will include classrooms and study space for learners, labs and research facilities, small manufacturing and innovation space, new venture incubation space, convening spaces for a range of events, housing, restaurants and other complementary retail, as well as hospitality such as a small hotel to accommodate our gatherings and events. The site design will include remarkable new, open green space and public access to the waterfront for the first time in 125 years.

Collaborators
CambridgeSeven
Thorton Tomasetti
Woodard & Curran
Tsoi Kobus Design
Arup
Bruner/Cott

*Photo of Pete Buttigieg courtesy of Flatlander Photography for Northeastern University