Founded in 1884, SMRT carries a legacy of design and innovation into the future. Committed to our mission to shape communities, elevate the built environment, and enhance lives, we focus on technically complex and high-performance projects.
1884
Architect John Calvin Stevens hangs his shingle at 57 Exchange Street in Portland, Maine in 1884. Over his 56-year practice, he designed over 300 domestic, religious, commercial, and institutional projects on the Portland peninsula alone and more than 1,000 commissions overall.
1884
Nationally renowned for his shingle style design, Stevens saw no separation of design from construction, of beauty from practicality. Decades later, that creative challenge of exploring opportunities between idea and implementation continues to guide SMRT’s growth and expansion.
Original John Calvin Stevens Architects logo.
1890
Men working at the Oxford Block location of John Calvin Stevens Architects.
1909–12
The legacy of John Calvin Stevens includes significant civic and religious projects. Of particular importance is Portland City Hall, a commission that Stevens executed in association with the nationally renowned Beaux-Arts masters, Carrère and Hastings, designers of the New York Public Library. SMRT today is committed to “teaming with the experts” to bring value to our clients and the communities we serve, following the example set by John Calvin Stevens in 1909.
1910
John Calvin Stevens’ domestic work from 1890 to 1930 represents an eclectic approach to design indicative of the changing trends in American architecture. Stevens designed numerous houses on the Maine coast, including the signature Charles M. Hays Cottage on Cushing’s Island in Casco Bay,
a complex blend of shingle style, colonial revival, and arts and crafts elements.
John Calvin Stevens: “Domestic Architecture 1980-1930” by John Calvin Stevens II and Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr.
1915
John Calvin Stevens was tremendously active in the greater Portland community, participating in civic discourse and industry organizations. He was a member of the Portland Rotary Club, the Maine Society of Architects, the Portland Society of Art, and active with the Chamber of Commerce.
SMRT continues this important legacy of public service, actively participating in community organizations locally, regionally, and nationally.
1930–Present
Four generations of the Stevens family have shared the same client, the Portland Boys Club (now Portland Boys and Girls Club). Located across the street from Portland High School, the Club provides a safe and supportive environment for youth, offering programs and activities to help them develop into responsible and productive citizens. In 2024, SMRT is designing the expansion of the original 1930’s structure designed by John Calvin Stevens and John Howard Stevens.
1933–34
The Portland Post Office on Forest Avenue is built at an approximate cost of $850,000. At the time, it is the second largest post office in New England, second only to Boston’s. It was designed by John Calvin Stevens and his son, John Howard Stevens, in the New England Colonial Style.
1949
The baby boom after World War II creates a huge demand for classroom space. King Junior High is the first contemporary building designed to address the school space shortage. The Stevens firm, and later SMRT, continues to design public K-12 schools throughout the state with notable projects in Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Gray, New Gloucester, and Rockwood, Maine. Today, our education practice has evolved to focus primarily on college and university projects.
1955
The publication of Vincent Scully’s book cements the legacy of John Calvin Stevens, along with McKim, Mead and White, and Peabody and Stearns, as major contributors to developing the shingle style in New England and beyond.
1957
Designed by Stevens and Saunders, this important commission was heavily influenced by the international style continuing the discipline of Walter Gropius, introducing one of the first curtain walls systems in the state. Another generation of Stevens engages in the project when a young 20-year-old Paul Stevens joins the firm on the construction team.
1960
John Calvin Stevens II serves as lead architect for the Morong Brothers Volkswagen Dealership, a signature international style building on Forest Avenue in Portland. John enjoys a long relationship with Morong brothers, driving many Porsche vehicles over the years.
1970
Paul Stevens (front left) becomes president of Stevens Architects, serving through 2002. Under Paul’s presidency, the firm expands significantly, adds engineering disciplines, and focuses on civic, commercial and institutional buildings.
1982
1985
SMRT designs The Casco Bay Ferry Terminal and parking garage as the gateway to the Casco Bay Islands. This signature commission is the result of a design competition to select the architect. The strong gabled form of the parking garage blends with the historic local structures and masonry walls lining Commercial Street.
1986
The Maine Tourist Information Center in Yarmouth is the first project award from the State of Maine executed under the newly minted ‘SMRT’ banner. It is followed by many successful projects for the state, including the renovation of the Burton M. Cross Office Building in 1996 and the Augusta State Facilities Master Plan in 2000 and 2022.
1988
The Alzheimer’s Care Center in Gardiner, Maine, is the first facility in the United States specifically designed and staffed to meet the unique needs of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Its pioneering design includes a circular “wandering path” allowing residents to move continuously through the building without encountering dead ends and getting disoriented. The building becomes an important part of the care delivery program.
1991
The firm wins the first place Maine AIA Award for design excellence for Rockwood Elementary School. Located in the unorganized territories north of Greenville, this two-room schoolhouse replaces the original one-room schoolhouse–doubling the capacity of the school!
1992
The pediatric unit at Eastern Maine Medical Center is a significant healthcare project that demonstrates the firm’s capabilities in the healthcare sector.
1994
The first major justice project for the firm, the Cumberland County Jail in Portland is the largest in the state. This pioneering project is among the first of its kind in the country using the Direct Supervision concept, which has since become a standard in jail design nationwide.
2003
Today, the office is located in downtown Schenectady.
2004
Ellen Belknap is named president of SMRT. During her 20-year tenure in this position, SMRT grows to become the largest A/E firm in Northern New England, focused on sustainable, high performance building design. Under Ellen’s leadership, the firm embraces transparency and develops a thriving culture with fully engaged employees encouraged to focus on their strengths.
2005
Situated in downtown Portland on Commercial Street, this project connects the working waterfront to cutting-edge ocean research and education. The building supports a robust suite of community programs focused on ocean stewardship in the face of climate change.
2007
SMRT modernizes its identity through a rebrand, showcasing a new logo.
2009
The Mayor of the City of Portland proclaims October 8, 2009, John Calvin Stevens Day in recognition of his architectural legacy and the firm’s 125 years of history and achievement.
2009
2010
A signature project for our government practice, the Chafee Fitness Center located on the Newport Naval Station in Rhode Island provides training and recreation space for military personnel, students, and their families. Designed to high performance standards, the building earns LEED Gold certification.
2014
MaineGeneral, the largest healthcare system in central Maine, consolidates inpatient facilities from Waterville and Augusta and constructs 192 beds and a full complement of ambulatory and emergency services. The project celebrates sustainability, family-centered care, and evidence-based design. Receiving multiple awards, it is pioneering in the use of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), bringing the design team, construction team, and owner under a single contract.
2017
2017
Rehabilitation, education, and preparation for a positive reentry to society are outcomes that inform SMRT’s programming for this 96-bed women’s reentry facility. The project exemplifies SMRT’s commitment to designing environments that support restorative justice. Earning an award from the AIA/Academy of Architecture for Justice, the jury notes,
the project represents progressive programming and simple economical construction, with clarity of planning and lots of daylight.
2019
2022
Due to tremendous growth and success, Maine Molecular Quality Controls, Inc., expands its manufacturing and research capabilities on the existing Saco, Maine, site by roughly doubling its footprint next to the existing building. The headquarters features a cleanroom, research and development space, quality control spaces, and work environments.
AIA Maine
People's Choice Award (2022)
2022
SMRT designs the new L.L.Bean corporate headquarters in Freeport, Maine. Awards for this adaptive reuse project include winning multiple design awards and wide publication. The project repurposed an existing warehouse, introducing a large inner courtyard effectively bringing the outdoors, connecting to the L.L.Bean “outsider” brand. Awards for this adaptive reuse project include:
aia new england
Merit Award - Renovation/Adaptive Reuse (2023)aia new england
Best of Maine (2023)aia maine
Honor Award - Renovation/Adaptive Reuse (2023)aia maine
People's Choice Award (2023)mereda
Notable Project Award (2022)
2023
The historic former Nissen Bakery, with its high ceilings, abundance of natural light, and great views, offers the opportunity for the new SMRT office to create a highly collaborative, sustainable workspace and officially become WELL certified.
2023
Creating a vibrant new campus center for the University of Southern Maine, this project provides much needed residential and amenity space for students transforming what was once primarily a commuter campus to a full-service residential campus. The project set the bar for sustainable design and construction, receiving both LEED Gold certification for the McGoldrick Center and Passive House certification for the residence hall.
AIA Maine
Merit Award - Institutional & Commercial (2024)
2024
Brad Hodges, PE, who joined SMRT in 2001, is named the new president. During his long tenure with the firm, he contributes significantly to SMRT’s growth and success, leading our mechanical discipline, our commissioning services, and our Life Sciences/Advanced Manufacturing market sector. In his new role as president,
Brad brings a growth mindset and a focus on the future.
2024
