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V O L . X X I X N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 2 1 , 2 0 2 3 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E to a Dallas investment firm. Preston Hollow Community Capital purchased the tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the Finance Authority of Maine, following on a similar 2019 investment, according to a news release. Rock Row, at 80 Main St. near the Westbrook- Portland line, opened in 2020 with an initial phase that included a Market Basket grocery store, Cinemark theater, Starbucks coffee shop and other store- fronts. When complete, the $600 mil- lion build-out is expected to comprise roughly 2.7 million square feet, encom- passing up to 1,000 residential units, a medical campus anchored by an affiliate of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, two hotels, an event venue and more, all centered around a 26-acre, 400-foot- wide former granite quarry. e devel- oper of the complex is Needham, Mass.- based Waterstone Properties Group. Former Bernstein CEO dies Charles Miller, former CEO of Portland law firm Bernstein Shur, community leader, social justice advocate and pillar of Maine's Jewish community, died Aug. 4 at age 75. Miller joined Bernstein Shur in 1979, rose to become the firm's managing partner and then served as CEO from 2003 to 2013. He continued to prac- tice real estate and business law until his death. He was recognized by legal guides Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, and rated with a high "AV" certification by Martindale-Hubbell. Miller volun- teered his time and expertise to Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Friends of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, the Muskie Fund for Legal Justice, and Hope Acts, among other nonprofits. In 2009, Miller and his wife Ellie were jointly awarded the Edmund S. Muskie "Access to Justice" Award. Miller also created Bernstein Shur's first diversity committee in that year. 9a.m. – 1p.m. Hilton Garden Inn 250 Haskell Road, Bangor Be inspired by our 2023 Champion Award winners 2023 Champion of Education and Workforce Development 2023 Champion of Rural Development 2023 Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award (Leadership Maine) 2023 ICL Distinguished Alum Award 2023 William F. King, Jr., Downtown Champion September 27, 2023 Aspire: Unlocking the potential for Maine to thrive & prosper REGISTER NOW: MDF.ORG/2023-MDF-ANNUAL-MEETING-REGISTRATION B R I E F Two design-build firms join forces, with assets from Portland to midcoast B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n P o r t l a n d — The merger of two Maine design-build firms will unify firms with footholds in Portland and the midcoast. Portland-based Hay Runner announced Aug. 10 that it has acquired Rockport-based Phi Builders + Architects. Hay Runner is led by Shannon Richards, who is also 2023 vice president of MEREDA, while Phi Builders + Architects has been led by Bettina Doulton, who also owns Cellardoor Winery. Hay Runner has made a name in the Portland area by offering a full-service approach to home ownership — includ- ing design, construction, real estate sales and services like house cleaning, landscaping and interior plant arrangements. Phi Builders + Architects has based its business around fine home building and cabinetry. The combined firm broadens the overall footprint, encom- passing the midcoast and Portland areas, while deepening the expertise in design and construction. Hay Runner plans to continue to operate the Phi Builders location from West Street in Rockport, and retain the field staff, shop team, architects and administration. The firm will be known has Hay Runner. The combined company will have 80 employees. "It's an honor and a privilege to grow Hay Runner, a company centered around simplifying the property ownership experience, in the rich soils of Phi Builders + Architects, a well-known, mid- coast Maine business with 20 years of respected history. The staff I've been working with is both professional and talented — and a true indication of the breadth overall of the enterprise. Bettina Doulton has been a longtime friend and mentor, and I look forward to nurturing that relationship for years to come," said Richards. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hay Runner's growth Hay Runner, which was founded in 2018, has been growing at a rapid pace. In the past year, Hay Runner has doubled its staff (to 40 before the acquisition), purchased a fleet of vehicles, designed, built and established a permanent headquarters at 99 Federal St. in the Old Port, added an interior plant design division and now expanded onto the midcoast. Richards has envisioned a Hay Runner with multiple locations. Phi Builders + Architects is a company Richards "has long admired, owned by a trusted friend and respected mentor, Bettina Doulton," Hay Runner said in a release. Phi Builders Phi Builders + Architects was founded in 2003 as Phi Home Designs, a custom furniture shop. While it continued to build heirloom furniture, it expanded into custom cabinetry, millwork and historical window renovation and eventually construction and design services. Bettina Doulton assumed ownership of Phi Builders + Architects a decade ago, strategically growing the company's staff, project portfolio, reach and reputation as one of mid- coast Maine's respected architectural and construction firms. "I never intended to steward a construction company, but when presented with the challenge I have given it my best effort," Doulton said, adding that she was "pleased to have found a steward to carry on our good work, strong relation- ships and opportunities for our team." P H O T O / H AY R U N N E R / G R E G C L A R K E Bettina Doulton, left, owner of Phi Builders + Architects, and Shannon Richards, owner of Hay Runner.