This story has been updated.
PORT CLYDE, Maine — Colby College’s new Center for Resilience and Economic Impact has purchased considerable property and buildings in the center of the village “to help revitalize the community’s historic waterfront and create a home” for its new center.
The general store, however, will not be rebuilt.
“Finalized on Nov. 21, 2025, the transaction includes the purchase of the Seaside Inn, The Barn, the Squid Ink building and the site of the beloved Port Clyde General Store, which was destroyed by the fire in September 2023. The acquisition of the historic waterfront properties was made possible by a generous donation to the College from longtime Port Clyde residents Dan and Sheryl Tishman,” a Colby news article announcing the acquisition states.
The sale price for the properties totaled $3,325,000, according to state records.
George Sopko, executive director for media relations for the college, said the general store will not be rebuilt.
Colleges are exempt from the state’s property taxes if the properties are used for educational purposes.
Town Manager Brandon Leppanen noted the school also owns two islands off St. George and voluntarily pays $69,043 in lieu of taxes. He said in initial conversations with the school there was talk of building a small provisions store on the site.
No applications have been filed by the college for the project.
“Colby is partnering with the Tishmans’ family foundation, the NorthLight Foundation, to launch the Center for Resilience and Economic Impact, which will begin operations in 2026. The Tishmans formed the NorthLight Foundation to address environmental, land conservation and community and climate resistance in Maine and around the country,” the article states.
The 2023 fire destroyed much of the commercial center of Port Clyde, including its historic general store and several paintings by Jamie Wyeth and illustrations by his grandfather, N.C. Wyeth. The buildings and paintings were owned by Linda Bean, an heir to the founder of L.L. Bean.
Colby Provost and Clara C. Piper Professor of Environmental Studies Denise Bruesewitz said the center will advance Colby’s interdisciplinary work, bringing together science, economics, and policy to drive timely projects that are critical to the welfare of all Mainers. “Community efforts in response to adversity must be supported by the collaboration of organizations and people with different areas of expertise who can work alongside communities to find a path to a sustainable future,” she said. “We’re thrilled to move to the next phase of this innovative project so we can play a key role as a resource for planning, mitigation, and recovery, all while providing opportunities for our students to engage in this impactful work.”
As it prepares to launch the Center for Resilience and Economic Impact, the College said it is committed to Port Clyde’s vision of thriving local businesses and a working waterfront.
With the sale completed, Colby’s plans for the properties include rebuilding a structure on the site of the former general store, which will house a restaurant at the street level and offices of the Center for Resilience and Economic Impact, including a gathering and collaborative space open to the community; maintaining The Barn, across from the former general store, which has operated as a seasonal bar and community gathering spot; and maintaining the Seaside Inn, a 12-room structure built in 1847 for sea captain Samuel Trussell, as housing for scholars and others working at the center and as a home for student researchers who will live and work in Port Clyde.
In addition, it is expected that waterfront operations and activity at the Squid Ink building will continue in 2026, the release states.
The center will host lectures, workshops and student research internships, and it will help Colby expand the reach and influence of its ongoing interdisciplinary scholarship on the Island Campus. Allen and Benner islands, which make up the Island Campus, are located in Muscongus Bay and are accessible by boat from Port Clyde. About 2,500 people travel to the island by boat from Port Clyde each year.
Mike Felton, executive director of GRACE Innovation Center in St. George, which aims to bring career and technical education to students as young as kindergarten through eighth grade, said in the article that members of the community are pleased the project is moving forward.
“With the new Center for Resilience and Economic Impact in Port Clyde, Colby’s commitment to St. George enters an exciting new chapter, rooted in place and reaching toward possibility,” Felton said. “I’m eager to explore ways to collaborate with the center through the GRACE Innovation Center and the St. George Community Development Corporation. Together, we can expand opportunities for students to gain real-world skills, strengthen pathways to local employment and help shape a more resilient future for our community.”
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.