Construction of a new marine science center for Harpswell’s Quahog Bay Conservancy is well underway, with work continuing on the waterfront site of the former Quahog Bay Inn.
Laura Campbell, the conservancy’s executive director, said the project was about halfway done as of early February. Work is being funded and overseen by JD LLC, owned by Quahog Bay Conservancy founder and President Patrick Scanlan. The general contractor is Wright-Ryan, of Portland.
“I’m genuinely excited about this project and about continuing to invest in Harpswell and in the future of Quahog Bay,” Scanlan said in a statement. “Quahog Bay Conservancy was founded to restore and protect the bay through science, stewardship and community engagement, and the Marine Science Center is a natural extension of that mission.”
The facility will include a saltwater laboratory, housing for students and researchers, and offices. It also will include a new wharf and a seafood market for the conservancy’s Snow Island Oysters brand. The conservancy has created a website containing details about the project at thefutureofwaddleswharf.com.
The working waterfront was known as Waddle’s Wharf after the late Robert Waddle, who operated both the inn and a commercial wharf at the site.
“The working waterfront is at the center of Quahog Bay Conservancy’s focus, and we want to maintain that,” Campbell said. “The goal is to try to be a touchstone between the research community and the commercial fishing community.”
The working waterfront area will be available to commercial fishermen and researchers alike, Campbell said. The seafood market may include products from other sellers, she said, but those details have yet to be worked out.
In an interview, Campbell said the science center is designed to be a flexible, multiple-use facility that will enable Quahog Bay Conservancy to create new research partnerships with colleges and research institutions. The land and facility will remain legally independent from the conservancy and will be owned by JD LLC.
“The idea is to have Quahog Bay Conservancy here, along with other partners, to explore many areas of marine science,” she said, including research on water quality, habitat health, microplastics and invasive species such as green crabs.
In November 2022, JD LLC purchased the former inn at 5-7 Lobster Lane, off Pinkham Point Road on Great Island, for $2.7 million from Waddle’s estate, according to town records. Harpswell Planning Board documents indicate the marine science center will cost $11 million to $13 million to build, but Campbell said that estimate could change as project details are finalized.
Established in 2015, the conservancy’s mission “is to revitalize the ecosystem of Quahog Bay to a robust and resilient state for all communities that depend on it.”
“Through sustainable aquaculture, ecosystem monitoring, and community education, we aim to conserve natural habitat, protect native wildlife, foster environmental stewards, and support Maine’s working waterfront,” its website says.
New structures at the site will include a 26-foot-by-56-foot saltwater laboratory, a 26-by-64 duplex, a 23-by-39 seafood shack and a 16-by-186 wharf. The duplex will contain six bedrooms with a dining room, kitchen and gathering space.
The project went before the Harpswell Planning Board in 2023 and received enthusiastic approval. Campbell and Scanlan said they hope to have the new facility up and running by the summer of 2027.
Scanlan said that by creating a facility where research, monitoring, education and collaboration can happen side by side, the center’s location should become a scientific hub in the area.
“(The conservancy) will be a tenant and collaborator there, using the space to strengthen our core programs while working alongside other researchers and partners,” he said. “My hope is that it becomes a long-term asset for the bay and for Harpswell in supporting sustainable fisheries, informed restoration, and a healthier ecosystem for generations to come.”
Click here to see a video tour of the construction site.
Correction: The original version of this article misidentified Quahog Bay Conservancy Executive Director Laura Campbell. The Anchor regrets the error.
