New Resiliency Center Planned for Port Clyde

Colby College completed the purchase of several properties in Port Clyde in November for the college’s new Center for Resilience and Economic Impact. The interdisciplinary research center, which aims to help Maine communities find innovative ways to adapt to climate change, will serve as a home for educational opportunities, outreach, and community building.

The transaction includes the purchase of the Seaside Inn, The Barn, the Squid Ink building, and the site of the Port Clyde General Store, which was destroyed by fire in September 2023. The acquisition of the historic waterfront properties was made possible by a donation to the College from Port Clyde residents Dan and Sheryl Tishman.

Dan Tishman’s career has been in major construction and real estate projects in New York. Following the devastating January 2024 coastal storms in Maine, Gov. Janet Mills asked him to co-chair a special resiliency task force to identify steps the state should take to better prepare for future severe storms.

Colby is partnering with the Tishman’s 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.

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 gathering and collaborative space open to the community

• Maintaining The Barn, across from the former general store, which has operated as a seasonal bar, art gallery and community gathering spot

• 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.

The center will host lectures, workshops, and student research internships, and expand the reach of Colby's ongoing interdisciplinary scholarship activities on its Island Campus, which comprises nearby Allen and Benner islands.