Wendy Schmidt is President of The Schmidt Family Foundation, whose mission is to support the transition from an old understanding of energy and natural resources to one that reflects new values for the 21st Century based on our growing knowledge of the interdependence of human and natural systems. Recognizing that interdependence extends to community wellbeing as well, Wendy began ReMain Nantucket as a foundation project in 2008.

Wendy is a trustee of the NRDC, The XPrize Foundation, Climate Central, The California Academy of Sciences, The Nantucket Dreamland Foundation, and GRIST, serving as co-chair of the Communications Committee. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism from The University of California at Berkeley, and graduated Magna cum laude from Smith College. She has worked previously in high-tech marketing communications and as an interior designer, specializing in residential interiors.

Melissa Philbrick moved to Nantucket in 1986 with her husband and two young children to practice law.  In 1996, she opened her own law firm with a primarily real estate-based practice.  She has worked with ReMain Nantucket since its formation, and in 2009 left the practice of law to become its Executive Director. 

Melissa has served on a variety of Nantucket non-profit boards.  She graduated from Brown University and received her law degree from Columbia University School of Law. 

Rachel Hobart, a summer resident of the Island since 1968, moved to Nantucket in 1987 to practice law. She took a break from the law to raise her three children, and was a partner in the opening of Fahey and Fromagerie, a gourmet wine and food store. Rachel started with ReMain in May of 2008. 

She has served on the board of several local non-profits, including Small Friends On Nantucket, The Children’s House, The Nantucket Atheneum, and currently and most extensively, The Nantucket New School, where she is a Vice President. Rachel graduated from Yale University and received her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.

As a frequent visitor who embraced Nantucket’s spirit of community since 1989, Virna established her roots ten years ago as a wash-a-shore in 2002. She brought her skills as a business entrepreneur in a graphic design firm in New York City to the cobblestones of Main Street, from managing a retail shop, to applying accounting and design skills at a real estate office, Virna was committed to island life.

With her position at ReMain that began in October 2008, all of her creativity, business and public relation capabilities are utilized to benefit the community she loves to support. Virna received her BFA from St. John's University in 1989. She worked at The MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour, Computer Associates, and Penguin Books as an assistant art director before attaining her own design accounts with American Tourister, Samsonite, CNBC, TV Food, The New Group and Latina/Essence Magazine.

After working seasonally on Nantucket for 6 years, Russell Carson relocated to Nantucket in 1999, and has been a year round resident ever since. He has 10 years of experience in commercial lending on island, and started with ReMain Ventures, as an Executive Business Assistant in February of 2011.  Russell works closely with many of the investments of ReMain Nantucket, including the Petticoat Row Bakery, putting into practice the initiatives of the organization.

Russell currently serves on the board of directors for the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and has been the Treasurer since 2010. In 2012, he started as the Financial Manager for 11^th Hour Racing, a working program of The Schmidt Family Foundation.  Russell graduated from Cortland State in upstate New York with a BS in Economics and Management Science, and a minor in Computer Applications.

Office Location:
50 Main Street, 2nd Floor

Main Office Line:
508.901.4140

Mailing Address:
ReMain Nantucket, LLC
P.O Box 359
Nantucket, MA 02554

Please email your inquiries to:
info@remainnantucket.org

Construction has resumed after the February 5^th fire at 56 Centre Street. The future home of Nantucket Community Music Center and downtown campus for the Nantucket Community School will see its completion.  We at ReMain and all involved with this project - from design through construction - would like to thank our local firefighters for all their efforts and the support and good wishes of the community.  To learn more about this project, watch this video.

Construction has commenced on the renovation of 56 Centre Street as the next step in its transformation from hotel to a downtown home for Nantucket Community Music Center and the Nantucket Community School.  The educational uses at 56 Centre will encourage year-round activity in this part of downtown.

our Ideas and Initiatives

Combining the creativity of a think tank with the energy of an advocacy organization, ReMain is committed to supporting the evolution of a healthy, year round community on Nantucket that flourishes in its iconic downtown.  By supporting resourceful thinking and objective research aimed at strengthening downtown Nantucket's future, we are building on the Island's own traditions of independent and innovative thinking, adding expertise from a worldwide network.

The Greenhound Building located at 10 Washington Street acts as a transportation hub, which enhances our partnership with the Nantucket Regional Transportation Authority (NRTA) and its bus system known as The Wave. Greenhound also provides shelter, public restrooms, and transportation assistance from late June through Labor Day. In a recent study that looked at improving public transit, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation praised the NRTA thematic system map as the best in the state and noted that the website is well designed with easy to find information and an excellent comprehensive rider’s guide and mobile application.

‘Ride The Wave’ The Nantucket Regional Transit Authority unveiled its new name and image "The Wave" in May 2011. Residents and visitors participated in a contest to help re-brand the system, and the winning entries were submitted by Ruth Anne Biggs, Bruce Miller and Pat Kleinert. 

We enjoyed collaborating with NRTA on this project and are pleased that the new look made the system even more rider-friendly. In 2011, the Wave saw a 9% increase in ridership.

As part of the 2011 improvements to the NRTA system, we helped develop and launch a free “Where's My Bus?" app for smart phones and Blackberry’s. Riders can access real time tracking, bus routes that show stops along the way, arrival and departure times, and up-to-the-minute announcements, all of which contribute to the best rider experience possible. Go to live.nrtawave.com to download or scan the QR code with your smartphone or QR Scanner.

Two hybrid buses with engines that reduce both carbon and CO2 emissions and use less fuel were added to the fleet in 2011. The additional capital cost for the upgrade to a hybrid engine on one of the buses was funded by a grant from Greenhound; the second hybrid bus was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These two buses complement the other environmentally friendly, low sulphur diesel vehicles in the fleet.

NRTA’s diesel engines for the entire fleet meet the most current emissions requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency by using ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) fuel, and being equipped with particular filters which remove pollutants from the exhaust.

Bus shelters were provided by ReMain at two busy bus stops - Surfside Road across the street from The Muse and on Milestone Road near Tom Nevers. Riders at these stops now have a dignified place to wait for The Wave in any weather condition. The shelters were designed in consultation with the Nantucket Historic District Commission and the Tom Never’s stop is lighted by solar power.

ReMain facilitated the collaboration of non-profits and businesses to welcome the students and faculty of UMass Boston's School for the Environment to downtown for a pilot program semester of "Living Labs Nantucket". These students enlivened the quiet winter streets, dined at the restaurants that stay open year round and enjoyed evenings at the movies all while researching our unique island ecosystems.

Our efforts included the search for student dormitories to accommodate them in our downtown. We collaborated with the Nantucket Yacht Club to convert their staff housing and meet University dormitory standards to create alternating uses for the building year round.

For over 37 years, the Nantucket Community Music Center  has enriched the cultural life of Nantucket through community performances, diversified music education, and most recently, music therapy programming.

NCMC has been seasonally headquartered at 11 Centre Street, serving approximately 100 people both young and old with 15 instructors privately. More than 60 Nantucketers participate in jazz, orchestra and choir ensembles.

In Spring 2013 rehearsals for ensemble groups, as well as teachers and students will be under one roof in their new home located at 56 Centre Street. This renovated building will provide space for new collaborations, individualized and group instruction, and additional programming including a state-of-the-art sound and recording studio.

The public-private partnership created in the summer of 2009 between Nantucket Community School and ReMain Nantucket brought school back to town for the first time in many years.

Nantucket Community School (NCS) offers adult education classes in such subjects as computer skills, foreign language and ESL training as well as lectures and a winter wellness series at ReMain's Greenhound Building at 10 Washington Street during the academic school year. In the spring of 2013, ReMain will help NCS relocate to new facilities at 56 Centre Street.

ReMain provides the space and computers for the classes. NCS is responsible for programming classes, managing instruction and administering all programs. If you have any questions or want to learn more about upcoming classes, call Janelle D'Aprix at 508-228-7285 ext. 1571.

The Nantucket Food Pantry provides food to persons with little or no income to help them feed themselves and their families until their circumstances improve. Support was extended to 4,616 people in 2011, an increase of over 3,000 since 2008.

We are proud to house this essential non-profit organization in Greenhound Building, accessed year-round via the building’s east entrance on Candle Street.

Learn more about this organization, their programming and how to donate packaged foods at the Nantucket Interfaith Council website.

Mitchells Book Corner still functions as a cornerstone business in the downtown year-round, beloved by generations of seasonal and full-time residents as well as thousands of summer visitors. In the spring of 2012, Wendy Hudson, the owner of Nantucket Bookworks on Broad Street and one of the organizers of Nantucket’s first Book Festival in June 2012, created Nantucket Book Partners to run both Mitchells Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks as full-service, year-round bookstores. Hudson is an enthusiastic advocate for the future of independent bookselling on the island and believes that Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks can each retain their own unique personalities, and by functioning cooperatively we’ll be able to strengthen both entities and offer even more for the island’s readers.

In a recent press release, founder Wendy Schmidt was quoted: “At ReMain, we like to incubate new endeavors that inspire and support the next generation in a changing marketplace, and we also want to support downtown’s key institutions to help ensure they are in place for the long term. Since we purchased Mitchell’s in 2008, the bookselling business has seen unprecedented market shifts in the explosive popularity of e-readers and the success of online giants like Amazon.com. Independent booksellers in every market are working overtime to develop sustainable business models for their stores. Here on Nantucket, we are exceptionally fortunate to have two independent bookstores, and now, for them to combine forces, while maintaining their individual characters, is a realistic approach for successfully engaging this industry-wide challenge.”

Following up on requests from the downtown business community, we helped establish a Steering Committee of downtown stakeholders to oversee and work with a consultant, Rich Turer, who was retained in the fall of 2012 to learn the needs of the businesses and non-profits in the downtown, and work with them to develop a plan for the future. He has been charged with making recommendations about how downtown can become more vibrant, more accessible, and more profitable in all seasons. After establishing his office in the downtown, Rich has been coordinating studies, conducting workshops, working with community leaders, and interviewing business and non-profit owners and staff. His initial work and more information about this process can be found at his website www.acktown.com. Due out in June, his report will provide ideas about how to manage and sustainably fund an organization that will be focused on the downtown as a marketplace.

Ann Burke, Vice President of the Economic Development Council of Western MA and Director of the HomeField Advantage Program hosted a workshop and a public discussion on Nantucket in March, 2012. Ann's visit to the Island was prompted by downtown merchants who want to explore different ways to organize the downtown business association to promote long-term year-round sustainability of the downtown business district. Her recommendations have led to ReMain’s decision to fund a Downtown Marketplace Coordinator who will start working this fall to engage with various downtown stakeholders (business and property owners, nonprofits, and government agencies), develop consensus around ways to make the downtown thrive, and create a sustainable mechanism to implement strategies over time.

The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit educational and research institution with 40,000 members nationwide, including architects, engineers, land developers, planners, and urban designers. In October 2008, a nine-person volunteer advisory panel was invited to Nantucket by ReMain to help our community and local leaders address specific planning challenges.

The panel reviewed a 360 page briefing book prepared by ReMain, and spent nearly a week assessing the Island. They interviewed and read comments from more than 200 Islanders, soliciting their views on such important downtown issues as traffic congestion, parking, and summer and year round business conditions. The input they received shaped their recommendations about how best to strengthen downtown Nantucket.

An overflow audience at the Atheneum's Great Hall attended the panel's presentation of its preliminary recommendations. The Panel's final report can be downloaded and is available at the ReMain office.

ReMain extends its thanks to the many community members who gave their time to be interviewed by the panel and shared thoughtful written comments.

As we continue to explore and expand multi-modal forms of transportation to alleviate downtown traffic congestion, we will increase bike parking at Greenhound. Through partnering with the Nantucket Planning Office, needed bike racks will be placed within the core downtown area, while some bike racks in disrepair will be replaced.

Also, this year we will hire an intern who will perform background research for the Town Bike Path in efforts to provide the Town of Nantucket with further resources to assist in their initiatives.

We also collaborate with the Planning Office to encourage residents and visitors to walk, bike or use the bus in and around town. Visit their wheels, heels, and pedals site to learn more.

We continued our collaboration with the Town of Nantucket to explore the barriers to summertime access to town due to traffic and parking, and the impacts of congestion on the economic health of downtown and the quality of life for all those who are on Island during the high season.

In 2010 & 2011, transportation experts from Nelson/Nygaard analyzed the many studies that have been completed on the subject, and received extensive input from interested year round and seasonal residents during public workshops that the N/N team hosted. Nelson|Nygaard presented a seasonal model for downtown parking based on this input and the Town's parking utilization data from Tetra Tech Rizzo in the spring of 2011. Brochures that were handed out at the workshops as well as a more detailed analysis of the proposal are available.

You can watch Nelson/Nygaard’s entire presentation with recommendations regarding a program to manage the demand for parking during the busy summer season, as well as possible pilot programs to test various technologies and other aspects of the program

The Board of Selectmen, working the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission, will be exploring which, if any, of the suggested initiatives are worthy of implementation. One of N/N’s recommendations, a valet parking program, was piloted in 2011 and will be continued in 2012.

In 2009 ReMain Nantucket commissioned a formal study by University of Connecticut's Center for Transportation and Urban Planning to better understand attitudes about the use of public transportation during the summer season, to identify and quantify the barriers that exist, and to develop a set of recommended strategies for increasing the use of public transit.

At a well-attended presentation at The Atheneum in December 2009, Norman W. Garrick, an Associate Professor and Director of The Center for Transportation and Urban Planning at the University of Connecticut, praised Nantucket's seasonal bus system and said it was reliable, clean and safe and is rated highly by its users. "The existing bus system is well-run and well-designed," said Dr. Garrick. "I was very impressed when I arrived to begin my work."

Garrick's team was on-island at three different times the summer of 2009, surveying public attitudes towards transportation. Overall, the team gathered the views of 742 people. His report at The Great Hall was a chance for the public to hear some of his conclusions.

ReMain has followed up on several of Garrick's recommendations, outlined in his report summary "A Plan for Growing Transit on Nantucket", by continuing to work with NRTA on enhancing the visibility of the system and by funding research through Nelson/Nygaard on new directions for managed parking.

During the summer of 2009, ReMain Nantucket conducted an informal survey of businesses and organizations to determine how many people work in the central downtown area, taking seasonal variability into account. The primary purpose of the study was to understand the number of employees working in the downtown and to understand how transit and parking are utilized during fluctuating seasons. Some of the businesses surveyed were willing to supply additional information which may be helpful in other research related discussions.

Nantucket owes its very existence to the sea. ReMain recognizes the essential connection between the harbor as our deep water port and the historic downtown because a healthy harbor, clean beaches and bountiful waters form the foundation of our local economy-for fishing, recreation, tourism and transport. We support efforts to protect the environmental integrity of our harbor and the waters that surround us. Ultimately, the future of our harbor, our town and the surrounding waters is interconnected.

Concerned about the potential impacts of nutrient loading on the harbor and committed to expert independent research on important issues facing our community, in 2010 ReMain joined with the Nantucket Community Association, Nantucket Yacht Club, Great Harbor Yacht Club, Anglers Club, Nantucket Conservation Foundation and various individuals, in funding a Water Quality Monitoring Project through the Town of Nantucket's Marine and Coastal Resources Department. The Town continues the important work of ongoing water quality monitoring project.

ReMain hosted a presentation to the public of the 2010 monitoring final report on July 14, 2011 at the Coffin School by Brian Howes of School for Marine Science and Technology at UMASS Dartmouth along with Tara Riley, Nantucket's Shellfish Biologist.

In 2010, we also awarded an additional grant for harbor water quality monitoring to the University of Massachusetts, Boston's Field Station. The focus of this study was to complement the Marine Department's monitoring work by testing for residual chemicals and conducting several intensive sampling sessions in conjunction with the new moon tidal cycles on peak weekends during the summer of 2010. This study is available here.

During the summer of 2010, the Nantucket Community Association and ReMain Nantucket co-sponsored an event in which local scientists explained the variety of scientific studies that are being conducted in Nantucket Harbor.

The presentations focused on why and how the research is being conducted rather than specific results or conclusions. "There are some superb studies that utilize the harbor as the laboratory," explained Melissa Philbrick, Executive Director of ReMain Nantucket. "We want to showcase these efforts and help the public understand how these individual efforts can lead to a greater collective understanding of the natural resource which is our harbor."

Various water quality monitoring projects as well as scallop propagation, eel grass restoration, and horseshoe crab population studies were presented. "The quality of the water in the harbor is of critical concern to fishermen, scallopers, sailors, and all those who enjoy the harbor," says Nantucket Community Association Vice President Buzz Goodall.

A healthy harbor forms the foundation of our local economy – for fishing, recreation, tourism, and transport. There is a strong connection between the health of Nantucket's harbor and its downtown, as one cannot thrive without the other.

During the fall of 2010, the Town of Nantucket requested the financial support needed to create an Energy Office. In keeping with our philosophy that resourceful thinking and objective research will help strengthen Nantucket’s future, we provided funding to found the Nantucket Energy Office. Our goals are simply to help the Town communicate with the public on a wide range of energy-related subjects and acquire the technical assistance needed to provide informed choices with respect to energy efficiency and “renewables” projects.

The Nantucket Energy Office was established in July, 2011, and since then has been actively helping the Town identify and implement energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy programs that are economically viable, environmentally responsible and socially beneficial for Nantucket. The Office operates under the direction of Town Administration and works closely with the Nantucket Energy Committee.

At ReMain, we believe that the basis of any good decision-making process is good information and we are committed to enlisting the talents of outside experts to guide our collection of facts, to help in its analysis, and to present that information to the community with fairness, balance, and transparency.

Nantucket Race Week is hosted at the Nantucket Yacht Club and the Great Harbor Yacht Club to benefit Nantucket Community Sailing, a non-profit, educational organization that provides affordable access to sailing and water sports to the public.

Race Week continues to educate the public and its participants about the need to protect our harbor and the sea that surrounds us as we use the water recreationally. The races were certified as 'Clean Regattas' under the standards established by Sailors for the Sea. The result: less waste and less debris in the water and on the shore, and a reduction in the many diffuse sources of water pollution that degrade the health of the ocean.

Through its sponsorship of Race Week, ReMain Nantucket hopes to create an awareness of the ties that bind our historic downtown and our harbor, the Island and the ocean beyond and focus attention on the importance of respecting the environmental integrity of our harbor which affords recreational opportunities to any and all and provides a critical link with the mainland. Ultimately, the future of our downtown, our harbor and the ocean that surrounds us, is interconnected. The success of each contributes to the other, as a rising tide floats all boats.

The Nantucket Comedy Festival brings more than laughter into Town. This festival underwrites the mentoring and comedic educational programming for youths through Stand-Up And Learn. Workshops such as Telling Stories, Organizing Your Routine and Stepping Onstage encourage kids to develop life skills and self-confidence.

The Nantucket Comedy Festival mitigates the impact of the event by implementing green practices through its purchasing, printing, waste production and recycling with the encouragement of ReMain's Sustainability Guidelines. Their green awareness education and promotions help all of us understand how we can make a positive effect on our footprint while still having fun.

In its 31st year, the Iron Teams Relay event highlights how environmentally-low impact modes of transportation -running, biking and swimming- generate a positive impact on our physical well-being. We work with the Town and NRTA to improve how we move around Nantucket, enhancing connections between the harbor, downtown and the rest of the Island, while reducing our environmental footprint. We encourage residents and visitors alike to explore Nantucket gently . . . by foot, by bike, by bus, by boat.

Mentoring Youth Nantucket, the charitable beneficiary of the Iron Teams event focuses on building ties between different ages and strengthening the social connections within the community, which echoes the types of interaction ReMain Nantucket fosters by supporting downtown as a place where the Nantucket community can come together and connect.

Each year Nantucket Preservation Trust opens kitchens in a downtown neighborhood, which educates about the significance of Nantucket’s historic houses and broadens knowledge about designing new as well as retaining historic kitchens in old houses.

In sponsoring NPT’s Summer Kitchens House Tour this year, we are confident that those who participate will walk the streets with a deeper appreciation for this unique built environment, but also for the community that continues to live and gather in downtown Nantucket.  For we believe that a working downtown and historic preservation both strengthen lasting economic, environmental and social vitality.

The Nantucket Theatre Workshop with their exceptional productions, seen by audiences for over 50 years, continues to be essential to the vitality of the core downtown. In the past year alone, more than 10,000 audience members traveled to town to view their performances.

In 2012, TWN plans eight productions along with several one person shows and non-profit collaborations with the Nantucket Historical Association and Nantucket Atheneum. We support their passion to grow their audience, encourage local and visiting artists, and enrich our community through each season’s productions, the LunaFest and the Moby Dick performance at the NHA.

ReMain proudly supports these Nantucket non-profits and municipal organizations that hold events downtown.

The Nantucket Public Schools are now partially powered by wind. In September 2010, Alteris Renewables constructed a 100-kilowatt turbine between the football field and back parking lot of Nantucket High School through collaborative funding from Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and The Schmidt Family Foundation and donated services from Cape Cod Express, Victor Paving, National Grid and Baines & Jones

With the extremely favorable wind conditions on Nantucket, the High School’s Northwind 100 direct-drive turbine manufactured in Barre, Vermont, began operating full time November 19, 2010 and as of mid-May 2012 has produced 318,016 kilowatt hours of power. Annually, the turbine has created about 12% percent of the combined annual energy requirement of the Nantucket High School and the Cyrus Peirce Middle School.

As an additional benefit, the wind turbine provides a platform for a renewable energy curriculum at all three levels of the public school system. The Students for Sustainability at Nantucket High School will continue play a role in the turbine project as it goes forward.

As an incentive to promote sustainable energy ReMain offers additional support to non-profits who wish to utilize solar energy at their outdoor or indoor events. Learn more about the mobile solar energy program.

When ReMain sponsors an event, the organizers must be willing to make a Pledge of Sustainability and are provided with Sustainability Guidelines which are intended to help event organizers reduce the environmental impact of their events, introduce sustainability into their purchasing and operational decisions and demonstrate the power of environmental stewardship to their audience. 

Through this program we’ve seen organizers not only implement eco-friendly practices but we have learned of newly developed initiatives they are willing to share for the benefit of other non-profit organizations. This camaraderie has been a great common denominator to the good will we all have towards the health of our community. Feel free to read our guidelines and please share your own sustainable ideas and practices with us!

Author and internet sensation Annie Leonard spoke at the Nantucket Atheneum about our society's obsession with stuff, its effects on our communities and our health — and a vision for change. During a visit to the Nantucket landfill, Annie also spoke with Plum TV to share her insights and look at how Nantucket deals with its own stuff.

In December 2007, Annie released The Story of Stuff, a hit 20-minute webfilm that which asks the question, "Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you?" and takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the often hidden costs of our consumer driven culture. Today, with over 15 million views and counting, The Story of Stuff is one of the most watched environmental-themed online movies of all time.

Sylvia Earle, Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society and former chief scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), addressed a capacity audience during her talk on August 13, 2009, at the Nantucket Atheneum, many of whom had received a copy of Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans, as customers of Mitchell's Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks

Dr. Earle has been a lifelong advocate for undersea research. She has been widely recognized and honored for her work to raise public awareness of the effects of pollution and environmental degradation on the ocean and to establish global network of marine protected areas.

Dr. Earle, also author of children’s books, Hello, Fish! and Dive!, began her afternoon at the Atheneum by sharing a slide show with children and their families.

Bill McDonough, author of Cradle to Cradle, spoke to a packed house in the Great Hall of the Atheneum on August 22, 2008 at an event co-sponsored by ReMain Nantucket, the Nantucket Atheneum, Sustainable Nantucket, Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks. Bill’s message of refocusing the way we think and act toward a sustainable future is central to the mission of ReMain Nantucket.

On June 29, 2011 Doug Loescher lectured in the Great Hall of the Nantucket Atheneum about the critical importance of having vibrant businesses in an historic downtown so that the work of preservationists to protect the built environment and environmentalists seeking to increase the energy efficiency of those buildings does not go to waste. As the Director for the National Trust Main Street Center, he brings more than 25 years of experience in the Main Street revitalization field.

The National Trust's Main Street Center is the leading organization for commercial district revitalization in the country, with more than 1,200 affiliated state and local programs in more than 44 states.  It offers technical services and financial incentives for preservation-based economic development to create a comprehensive menu of support for traditional communities for all sizes from coast-to-coast.  Read more about comprehensive sustainable revitalization initiatives from the Main Street Center.

The event was co-sponsored by ReMain Nantucket, the Nantucket Preservation Trust, and the Nantucket Atheneum.

Nantucket Preservation Trust along with ReMain invited Donovan Rypkema of Place Economics to speak at the Coffin School in September 2009. Mr. Rypkema has lectured widely on economic and preservation issues for downtowns, believing that historic preservation is consistent with environmental responsibility in that the greenest projects are those that recognize the energy imbedded in the existing built environment. Sustainable redevelopment of downtowns is about local jobs as well as historic preservation and energy efficiency.

Paul Bruhn, Executive Director of The Preservation Trust of Vermont, visited Nantucket in January 2009 to share his ideas and experience about keeping historic downtowns relevant in the face of changing lifestyles and retail climates.

Paul met with various community members to explore downtown Nantucket's special attributes as a gathering place for the community. He also discussed specific strategies that his organization has used in Vermont to preserve and protect key business uses, like general stores, which are the heart of many Vermont small towns.

The Preservation Trust of Vermont was founded in 1980 to initiate, stimulate, and assist local and statewide efforts to preserve and use Vermont's rich collection of historic, architectural, cultural and community resources.

The 2011 Living on The Edge: Coastal Communities Conference was held on September 29th and 30th. Entitled "Creating a Blueprint for our Coast", the conference focused on what uses should go where in the nearshore waters and how the tools of coastal and marine spatial planning can provide a rational basis for that decision-making.  Collaborating on the 2011 conference were Massachusetts Ocean Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, Maria Mitchell Association, UMASS Boston Nantucket Field Station, and Urban Harbors Institute.

A sneak preview of the movie Ocean Frontiers:  The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship (see the trailer), a groundbreaking film that takes a balanced, bi-partisan approach to the problems we face in managing our oceans was shown during the opening reception. 

In 2010, the Living on The Edge Conference examined the effects of sea level rise on coastal communities and was presented in collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Climate Central, and Maria Mitchell Association.  The forum's focus was to educate decision-makers in government and various impacted industries, as well as the general public, regarding the need to implement appropriate policies as coastal communities enter this century of heightened risk and uncertainty from the impacts of sea level rise.  Watch the video from the 2010 event.

In 2008, ReMain purchased the former Island Spirits property at 10/12 Washington Street to support public transportation initiatives. Our goal was to give the community the time and opportunity to study the best use of this area and experiment with the use of the site as a future transportation hub. We updated the interior of the property using simple green building practices, and partnered with the Nantucket Regional Transportation Authority (NRTA) and The Wave to enable a portion of the property to serve as a downtown bus stop from late June through Labor Day with public restrooms and free Wi-Fi access. In 2010, the property was included by the Town in the Wilkes Square planning exercise, the final report for which is posted on the Town’s website, and by the ULI in their advisory panel’s discussion of possible re-development of that area of downtown.

Nantucket Community School brings education to the downtown during the school year. Read more about the programs underway in the Greenhound building through our collaborations with NRTA, the Food Pantry, and the Community School. Other non-profits, like the Nantucket Film Festival, use the space for short periods of time during the season to facilitate their downtown event management and bring their constituencies into the space, heightening an awareness of the transit system.

Our Investments

At ReMain, we believe that investing in Nantucket's uniqueness fosters long term economic, social and environmental value to the island and its residents.

ReMain Ventures seeks to spark for-profit innovation and create jobs that enhance the health of the community year round.

Our projects conserve the historic downtown buildings, improve their energy profile and performance and support institutions that contribute to the vibrant street life of downtown.  Encouraging and mentoring new entrepreneurs to bring their unique business ideas to the downtown creates vitality for town and for the whole community.

Quick Facts:

• ReMain's goal in the renovation was to preserve the character of Mitchell's while greatly improving the building's structure, energy efficiency, and handicap accessibility.

• We created a flexible open floor plan on the second floor so that bookshelves can move as needed when the space can be used for book-selling and to host community events, classes, meetings, author dinners and more.

To learn more about the renovation, watch all six videos and download our white paper.

Video 1: Change Can Preserve and Improve

With the restoration of Mitchell’s Book Corner, ReMain wanted to demonstrate that it is possible to renovate an historic brick building in an environmentally thoughtful way.

To achieve the right balance between historic preservation and modern environmentally-sensitive building practices, we sought the expertise of local engineers, architects, preservationists and interior designers.

When the renovation was complete, Mimi Beman, whose family owned the building for 40 years, said: “It’s just like the old Mitchell’s, only more!"

Video 2: The Greenest Building is the One That Already Exists

Verde, Nantucket Green Build's Burr Tupper with general contractor, Josh Brown and Toscana manager, Jim Palatine review the strategy for and challenges of reusing the majority of the existing building material in the renovation.

Quick Facts:

• The renovation team left intact and reinforced the building's existing exterior and structural elements (floor joists, subfloors, wood floors, roof framing, and masonry walls).
• Despite the condition of the existing structure, the renovation team was able to meet building code floor loading requirements without compromising the functionality of the space.
• We retained seventy-five percent of the existing historic interior plaster.  The plaster that was removed was reused in the mortar required to repoint the inside of the brick walls.  
• The team carefully restored the original windows by hand.
• We added an elevator to make the second floor accessible to people with disabilities and to increase opportunities to use the building as a year-round gathering place in the downtown.

Video 3: An Historic Building Doesn't Have to Be Inefficient

Project Consultant, Ed Toole, HVAC Contractor, Steve Morgan, Architect, Rebecca Weld and HDC Chair, Dirk Roggeveen discuss the design and implementation of improved mechanical systems, cleaner indoor air quality and water-efficient fixtures and plumbing.  
Quick Facts:

• The renovation team installed a high-efficiency, modulating oil-burning boiler and a hydronic, variable volume air system with a heat recovery ventilator.
• Newly installed mechanical ventilation will introduce filtered fresh air to the interior, improving indoor air quality.
• The restored windows are now operable, allowing natural ventilation.
• A dual flush toilet and low-flow faucets will help conserve water.
• To conserve energy, the team installed motion sensor lighting, dimmable fluorescents and LED lights.

Video 4: The Road from Virtually No Insulation to Tight Insulation

ReMain President, Wendy Schmidt together with architectural preservationist, Pen Austin, architect, Rebecca Weld and insulation consultant, Richard Travaglione, discuss how their insulation strategies will not only improve the energy profile of 54 Main but will help preserve the historic brick.  
Quick Facts:

• Prior to renovation, 54 Main was insulated only in the attic floor; the building had leaking single pane windows.
• Now, a thin layer of closed cell foam in the attic and rigid insulation under the new roof shingles greatly reduces air infiltration and heat transfer.
• By insulating the roof instead of the attic floor, the mechanical equipment in the attic will operate much more efficiently.
• The oldest windows were refurbished using original materials where possible so they are more weather-tight and operable for natural ventilation.
• Interior storm windows will further improve energy performance and minimize condensation.
• To protect the brick walls from deterioration due to rainwater, the gable end rake has been extended. Improved exterior drainage has been installed in the rear of the property to reduce potential damage from heavy rains.

Video 5: Alternative Material Choice and Local Sourcing

In this video, ReMain Nantucket's interior design team member Audrey Sterk and Verde, Nantucket Green Build's Burr Tupper explain the eco-friendly choices made for the bookstore.

• The first approach for the Mitchell's renovation was to re-use materials whenever feasible.
• When sourcing new materials, we kept locality in mind, giving precedence to materials and products harvested and manufactured within a 500 mile radius of our site.
• Products with recycled or reclaimed content, such as recycled glass tile, were also given priority.
• Though much of the wood from the original structure was re-used during renovation, any new wood that was purchased was either reclaimed or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• Organic inks and dyes were chosen for the new fabric and upholstery.

Video 6: Mitchell’s Book Corner Opening & 41st Birthday Celebration

A party in June of 2009 marked the reopening of the newly renovated, two-floor space and also celebrated Mitchell's Book Corner's 41st birthday.

ReMain's goal for this project was to ensure that the new Mitchell's would have the same look and feel as the old Mitchell's, and yet renovate this historic structure in a manner that would preserve and re-use as much of the bulding's historic fabric as possible; improve the efficiency of the building's envelope, energy and water systems; and re-use existing interior materials or source environmentally sensitive alternatives.

The enthusiastic response to the store's reopening has demonstrated that an environmentally thoughtful renovation and the preservation of a historic property and a beloved community gathering place go hand in hand.

To read more about the details of the renovation, download our white paper.

Petticoat Row Bakery was launched by ReMain Ventures to provide sweets and local food products year-round.  Adding jobs to the economy, PRB is now established and lights up this corner of the downtown all year.

The bakery staff works 24-hours-a-day during the summer to ensure that fresh sweets and savories are plentiful customers.

The building at 35 Centre St. was purchased and renovated in 2010 to install a commercial kitchen on the second floor, and create a retail store on the first floor to showcase the products baked upstairs.

Once completed, the building will provide a home for the Nantucket Community Music Center and a new downtown campus for the Nantucket Community School. The lower level of the building will contain a computer lab, a multipurpose classroom and rehearsal space, and a recording studio. In addition to being a place where musicians can record, this basement studio will provide opportunities for islanders to learn sound engineering as a career or hobby under the auspices of the NCMC faculty.

The first floor will have a parlor for small recitals, presentations, and rehearsals for small ensembles, rooms where the Community School's parent education programs can be conducted, and offices for both organizations. The second floor will house teaching studios for NCMC faculty as well as a classroom dedicated to distance learning, through which the Community School hopes to establish college credit course offerings by collaborating with off-Island institutions like Cape Cod Community College and the University of Massachusetts.

ReMain Nantucket has been working with a designteam led by Joe Paul (BPC Architecture) and Kathleen Hay (KathleenHay Designs) since the Zoning Board approved this project during the summer of 2011. Mollie Glazer, Artistic Director for the Nantucket Community Music Center, and Pauline Proch, Executive Director of the Nantucket Community School, and their respective faculties and staffprovided input throughout the winter months. Acentech, an acoustical engineering firm from Boston, is providing the specifications for the recording studio based on input from local musicians. Acentechhas also recommended structural modifications to help with sound isolation strategies and techniques to improve the acoustical qualities of various spaces in the building.