250 Main Street is a contemporary mixed use project that has been designed to the high standards of Rockland’s Main Street historic buildings while at the same time respecting the scale of the surrounding residential community. The five story structure will require a minimum of electrical power and fossil fuel energy to operate. Super insulation, solar control devices to minimize heat gain in the summer and provide passive heating in the winter, light shelves to direct natural sun light into the interior, solar hot water collectors on the roof to assist in radiant floor space heating, and a vegetated roof; all contribute to making 250 Main Street a sustainable project for the 21st century.
The building’s mass has been “scaled down” through the careful articulation of form and materials. The upper story along Main Street has been set back 5 feet and the upper south-west corner removed to further reduce the structure’s perceivedheight and mass. The terra-cotta “rain screen” tile cladding, chosen for its durability, lightness and visual connection to the existing brick buildings along Main Street is the structure’s primary exterior building material. This deep red-orange surface further subdivides the project into two distinct three and four story structures. A glass wall system has been incorporated to separate these smaller tile clad structures from themselves as well as from the adjacent brick building to the north. The penthouse on the upper level is also clad in glass. Natural impregnated wood or cement fiber panels will clad the north elevation and wrap around the elevator shaft on the north-west corner of the structure. The interplay of form and materials create a vibrant composition of components that respect the historic fabric of Rockland while celebrating the city’s arrival into the 21st century.
The concept behind The Lofts at 250 Main project is to create a quality living experience that captures all of the assets of a downtown Rockland location in a customized, efficient and aesthetically pleasing living arrangement. Lyman Morse Boatbuilding will be the lead contractor for the project and is also the developer. They plan to integrate the custom carpentry, systems, fabrication and design professionals that they currently employ on custom yacht construction and apply their skills and expertise in creative ways in a residential application in Downtown Rockland across the street from the harbor and easy walking distance to all the shops, restaurants and cultural opportunities Rockland offers.
A total of 5 residential units will be constructed on floors 3, 4, & 5 along with retail and office space on floors 1 & 2. The residential units are of a smaller footprint--either 860 s.f. or 1140 s.f. for floors 3 and 4 and 1550 s.f. for the 5th floor penthouse--so the intent is to craft a very efficient floor plan (much like what is found on a well-designed boat) and apply it in this setting. Furthermore, given today's trends in living there is an increased appreciation for smaller and more thoughtfully designed spaces that are of higher quality and efficiency. Of course, a major emphasis of the project is to connect with the ocean and Rockland Harbor. Consequently, Lyman Morse will offer mooring and slip arrangements in town to suit a particular client and their boating needs. In addition, Lyman Morse will be able to offer specialized boating services for owners in the project as a way to more completely integrate the ocean and mainland living experiences for residents.
From a technical standpoint, the building will have a steel frame and super insulating thermasteel panels--all custom fabricated at Lyman Morse and erected on site. Each floor will have a concrete slab with in-floor radiant heat powered by highly efficient propane boiler systems (each unit will have its own dedicated system). Additional amenities include elevators, solar hot water panels for domestic water, a shared vegetated roof top deck, high performance windows and low maintenance exterior finish material. Each unit will have one parking space on site.
This project has the potential to be really outstanding and a one-of-a-kind for Rockland. The hope is that once a potential buyer is interested that a dialogue can commence to create a framework for the custom features and amenities he/she desires to outfit the loft to his/her satisfaction complete with a full project budget and specifications list. The quality of Lyman Morse is recognized in the boat world and their skills and expertise will translate well in this residential application.
* All pricing subject to client's final design, layout and specifications.
The Lofts at 250 Main are designed and built on the idea that a building can and should respect both its community and the environment as a whole. Our goal is to offer a building that refers to the local cityscape’s hues and rhythm while looking forward to a new green aesthetic that finds beauty in sustainable design and energy efficiency.
All major components have been selected for their sustainability, long - term performance and durability.
The exterior rain screen façade is constructed of terra-cotta tiles and autoclaved cementitious panels, two materials that last for generations and are produced from natural materials. The rain screen design creates a cavity between the façade and the structural wall that allows any moisture to escape and helps cool the building in summer months. In addition, this design has excellent sound attenuation qualities.
The exterior walls are constructed of Thermasteel light gauge steel panels (15-25% recycled content) with stabilized (installed) R-25 performance. The panel system is fully thermally broken, meaning no thermal conductivity between the interior and exterior of the wall panel. The EPS foam insulation incorporated in the panel is non-toxic w/ no off- gassing and requires no additional chemical treatment for pest and fire proofing. This simple yet cutting- edge system also minimizes sound transmission.
The heating system utilizes radiant floors supplied by direct vent gas boilers which operate at 96% efficiency. These same boilers also provide on-demand domestic hot water. Hot water needs will also be supplemented by solar panels on the roof. Expansive windows on the south and southeast walls are coupled with solar shades attached to the exterior. This allows natural light to reach all areas of the open loft-style units without adding excessive solar heat gain. The window units themselves are double-glazed with low-e 366 glass providing an optimum balance between visible light transmission and heat gain. Nearly all the window units feature an operable panel for fresh air. Fresh air will also be provided by energy recovering ventilators (ERV’s) which bring in fresh air while keeping heating/cooling loss to a minimum.
A vegetated roof system will cover half of the roof surface. Vegetated roofs, also known as green roofs, help to moderate the buildings temperature, minimize the “heat island “ effect in downtown locations and control storm water runoff. A roof top deck open to residents allows access to this green space with a spectacular view.
Mineral fiber insulation will be used in all interior floors and separation walls. This is a 100% natural rock “wool” that is fire proof with no additional chemical treatment. Mineral batt insulation has been shown to be equal or better in thermal performance to fiberglass and several times better in sound attenuation.
These systems combine to make a building that is both energy efficient and built to stand up to the demanding conditions of the coast of Maine.
The lofts at 250 Main will be quiet, warm, and bright!
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