FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — Federal officials have awarded a $7.78 million contract to a New York firm to design the new Fort Fairfield land port of entry.
Smith-Miller and Hawkinson Architects LLP will provide design development and construction documents for the project, U.S. General Services Administration spokesperson Paul Hughes said Thursday.
Fort Fairfield’s border station was built in 1934 and hasn’t seen major renovations for about 12 years. It is too small for the traffic that flows across Fort Fairfield’s border with Perth-Andover, needs utility upgrades and no longer meets energy efficiency or security requirements, according to the GSA.
Officials faced two options: leave the station as is, although it is inadequate, or build a new facility. The design phase is the latest step in the multiyear project, which is expected to cost between $35 million and $45 million. Work is expected to start in summer 2026 and finish in spring 2028, federal officials have said.
The GSA awarded a $4 million construction management contract to Dallas-based Jacobs Technology in 2023, and last year granted a $4.73 contract to global company AECOM for architectural and engineering services.
Federal officials have held several meetings with Fort Fairfield residents to gauge public concerns. Some at a 2024 gathering worried the crossing would be closed during construction, but GSA representatives have said the border will stay open.
Most recently, government staff returned to the town in June to share details of a draft environmental assessment that analyzes the 20-acre area in which the new border station would be located.
General services staff announced the awarding of the architectural and design contract on Sept. 15, but did not identify the firm.
Smith-Miller and Hawkinson Architects is a U.S.-owned small business, Hughes said.
The company’s projects include two New York ports of entry, as well as housing, museums, educational facilities, transportation terminals and parks, according to its website.
Fort Fairfield and Limestone are two of five Maine border stations to receive upgrades through the $3.4 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $195 million of which has been allocated to Maine. Other stations will include Houlton, Calais Ferry and, on the Quebec border, Coburn Gore.
