The Chatter 2021

Redefining Luxury on Portland, Maine’s Waterfront

In recent years, Portland, Maine, has become a national destination for tourism, with roughly 5 million visitors each year experiencing some of the best restaurants, art, and culture New England has to offer. In 2018, Bon Appetit ranked Portland as the Restaurant City of the Year, and in 2021, U.S. News & World Report named the city eighth in the top ten places to live in America.

The city has certainly been trending upward, and now visitors have a new, high-end lodging option in Canopy by Hilton - Portland Waterfront. Constructed by Cianbro, Canopy has raised the bar, redefining luxury with 135 guest rooms right in the heart of the city’s historic Old Port district along the working waterfront.

“Our team members came together and had a common goal of completing the project with the high-quality expectations that come with a high-end boutique hotel,” said Frank Xia, Project Manager. “This is a huge addition to Portland’s working waterfront that also offers visitors an authentic, locally inspired experience of a city with such a rich history.”

That history is showcased in the building’s facade, which had to be approved by both Portland’s Historic Preservation Board and Planning Board to ensure the integrity of the exterior was maintained, blending it in with its surrounding environment. That sense of history is also found in every guest room, not only in the picturesque Casco Bay views from those rooms facing the waterfront, but in the wooden headboards with Portland’s skyline artfully carved into each one.

Though the building leans into the conventions of what makes Portland a unique city, Canopy is also breaking new ground by introducing Luna, the first-ever indoor/outdoor bar and dining lounge to overlook Casco Bay.

The project team used Lean techniques to overcome the logistically challenging site nestled in a tight downtown location with limited access, minimal laydown area, and vehicle and pedestrian control. Examples of the techniques implemented include daily worksite huddles, just-in-time deliveries, weekly pull planning to optimize trade partner sequencing and efficiency, and embracing the practice of of “Nothing Hits the Floor” to aid in material management, productivity, site cleanliness, and a safe work environment.

“There are so many pieces that tie into one another. Close coordination and communication amongst all of our trade partners were crucial to make sure that everything was completed in a timely fashion,” said Xia. “We also had A/Z Corporation assist during the final weeks, and they really helped push and gave a massive effort toward the end of the project to help us hit our final deadlines.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CANOPY BY HILTON - PORTLAND WATERFRONT/FATHOM COMPANIES