Maria Mitchell Association Acquires Downtown Properties, Names Architect For New Aquarium Project

The Maria Mitchell Association last week announced the purchase of three downtown properties directly adjacent to its existing Washington Street campus for $2.5 million. The properties, 27 and 25R Washington Street and 10 Coffin Street, will help provide housing for the non-profit and expand its waterfront holdings.

“This is a game-changing moment for the Maria Mitchell Association and for Nantucket,” said Maria Mitchell Association executive director Joanna Roche. “The acquisition allows us to thoughtfully expand our campus while deepening our ability to serve the community through science, history, and education.”

The land previously belonged to the Noyes family, which has deep ties to the Maria Mitchell Association. Robert Noyes once served as the board’s president.

Part of a broader capital campaign for the non-profit's new aquarium and discovery center project, the purchase allows the Maria Mitchell Association to finalize its campus plans and begin pulling permits.

The Maria Mitchell Association has selected Andrew Kotchen, Michael Luft-Weissberg and the Workshop/APD team to serve as architects for the project. Workshop/APD is a nationally recognized New York-based design and architecture firm with more than 25 years of experience working on Nantucket. Engineering will be led by Nantucket Surveyors and construction oversight by Maria Mitchell Association Board vice president John Wise.

Many Nantucket organizations now rely on employee housing to hire and retain staff, offering lodging as one of the perks of the job.