The rebuild of the fire-damaged portion of Custom House Wharf in Portland is expected to be in the seven figures, with specific plans and a timeline still to be worked out.
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The cost to rebuild the fire-damaged portion of Custom House Wharf in Portland is expected to be in the seven figures, with specific plans and a timeline still to be worked out.
Based on input from the state Fire Marshal’s office, the exact cause of the three-alarm fire that occurred Friday, Dec. 26, at 25 and 27 Custom House Wharf will likely never be determined, Stephen Goodrich and John Jabar, the wharf’s owners, told Mainebiz. A possibility is old electrical wiring, they added.
Extensive damage
The blaze destroyed about 20% of the wharf's structures; they were located in one area on the west side of the wharf. About half of the structures were workshop spaces used by local fishermen.
The Sea Bags Factory Store, Nanuq Kayaks and Maritime Antiques were also damaged. Among those sites, the greatest damage was at Nanuq Kayaks. Goodrich and Jabar owned Maritime Antiques as a part-time venture.
Some fishing gear was lost. Many or most of the fishermen were insured, as was the wharf, Goodrich said.
Jabar and Goodrich expressed gratitude to the Portland Fire Department and the mutual aid from other fire departments.
The initial report of fire came in from a Casco Bay Ferry.
“We were very lucky,” said Jabar.
Piles and decking
In terms of the wharf structure itself, some of the piles and wharf decking were damaged and will be replaced.
“We’ll do a total rebuild and re-pile,” said Jabar. “It’s a pretty small area for the wharf as a whole.”
He added, “We’re working with the insurance company and putting together a plan with the city.”
Demolition and rebuilding in the affected area is expected to be in the millions of dollars, said Goodrich.
“It’s just hard to protect old, dried-out wood structures from these types of events,” Goodrich said.
The wharf, built prior to 1807, was under the ownership of a single family for nearly two centuries before changing hands in January 2022. Today, it remains an active working waterfront.
