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TEIA
Repair & Resilience
Repair & Resilience Efforts
Dear TEIA Members, Friends, and Peaks Island Residents,
The Repair & Resilience Committee is pleased to share that our application to perform necessary work on our historic building has been approved by Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as well as other required State agencies.
Approval by the City is still required, but with official DEP and State approvals, we anticipate quick resolution with the City so that we can begin preliminary work soon.
You can access the full DEP approval here.
In addition to the immediate repairs and updates required to preserve our building and the surrounding property, approval for the eventual replacement of The Seagull is noted in the document. We have confirmed that the two-year timeline within the document can be extended, which will allow TEIA to consider our options to develop a forward-looking campus plan.
This season, you will hear more about TEIA’s Uplift building plan through regular newsletter updates, monthly website updates, and social media. Preliminary efforts by the TEIA board of directors and close supporters have begun with consideration to ensuring no disruption to summer and early fall activities.
We are committed to keeping members and island residents updated every step of the way on this important project, and we invite your questions and interest in the project.
To learn more about our permitting and approvals process, our plan for the site, or to get involved with the project, please email us at uplift@teiaclub.org
Grace MacLeod, Chair, TEIA Board of Governors
Jean Gulliver, Chair, TEIA Repair and Resilience Committee
Bill Hall, Chair TEIA House Committee
Dear TEIA Members & Peaks Island Residents,
The Repair & Resilience Committee continues to take the necessary steps to prepare the historic TEIA Clubhouse for extensive renovations to modernize and strengthen the building’s foundation and protect the surrounding shoreline from further erosion.
The latest step in our work was commissioning Tim Spahr, a professional archeologist, to conduct a site survey. An archeological pedestrian survey determines whether there is evidence of “precontact occupation” at a historical site that would warrant a full Phase I Archaeological Survey before any construction or further disruption to the site can continue. The preliminary survey was conducted at the request of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, in line with state and federal law including the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Findings of the survey were immaterial and a full archaeological survey is not required.
To read a summary of the report, drafted by Kim Erico MacIsaac, Curator of the Peaks Island Historical Society, click here.
To read Tim’s full report, including photos from the survey, please click here.
To Our TEIA Membership & Friends,
Welcome spring!
We are pleased to share that the Repair and Resilience Project is continuing to make good progress. We have selected Great Falls as our general contractor, in part due to the excellent work they completed on the Peaks Island Library. They will be using Peaks Island sub-contractors wherever possible.
Importantly, there will be no disruption to TEIA operations during this summer season.
Fundraising and estimating of costs are underway, as we work to finalize the project scope, priorities, and schedules.
Work to protect our shoreline will be a significant step in preserving the long-term stability of our property and our historic clubhouse. Ultimately, lifting the clubhouse and constructing a new foundation will be a critical investment in TEIA’s future and long-term stability.
We will continue to keep you informed as progress unfolds. Thank you for your ongoing support.
The name of the ad hoc committee has evolved to Repair & Resilience Committee.
Over the summer and fall, the board authorized an early, quiet phase of fundraising to support these three, immediate critical needs:
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Shoreline resiliency with stone revetments from north beach around to paddle board beach
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Lifting the clubhouse, rebuilding the foundation with new concrete piers and a steel frame, and setting it down about 4½ feet higher than it is currently
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Repairing and updating the septic system
The committee is excited to share that an initial $1.8 million has been raised during this quiet phase. We are so grateful to those TEIA supporters who have generously supported the goal to meet immediate critical needs. We continue to work with Walsh and contractors to refine cost figures.
Thank you to all who have listened, given, and helped bring us this far.
We’re also pleased to welcome Maggie Hendricks, Principal of Blue Monarch Consulting, as our campaign consultant for the upcoming public phase, launching in early 2026. Maggie brings over 15 years of experience, much of it in Maine, leading successful capital campaigns for nonprofits. Her deep understanding of community-driven fundraising and her passion for preservation makes her a wonderful fit for TEIA.
We sincerely hope you will contact anyone of us with questions or suggestions.
We look forward to meeting and working with all members to accomplish this shared goal—preserving TEIA for the next 100 years and beyond.
With gratitude,
The TEIA Repair and Resilience Committee, with support from the TEIA Board
Jeff Marks, Jean Gulliver, Julia Nord, Fred Somers, Bill Hall, Dorothy Schroeder, Basil Klosteridis, Nikhil Pereira, Mark Millar, Chris Harper Fahey
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Over the 2024/2025 winter and spring months, TEIA’s ad hoc Resiliency and Climate Change Committee continued its work to propose plans to the Board of Governors for ensuring the future of the TEIA clubhouse and property. In addition, in April of 2025 the Association’s application to become a 501c3 non-profit organization was approved. With this planning work and the Association’s new tax-exempt status, TEIA is at a pivotal moment in its history with significant decisions required in the coming months.
Collaborating with Walsh Engineering as well as other trusted professionals, the committee and the board reviewed several options for stabilizing the historic clubhouse, which has continued to suffer damage to some of its original support pilings due to increasingly powerful storms and tides. To mitigate these impacts and the effects of rising sea levels, changes to the property are recommended including a new substructure for the clubhouse and new sea walls to reduce erosion from winter storms.
All these changes must comply with city and state regulations. While the clubhouse and immediate surrounding area was the initial focus, these regulations have required us to evaluate the future of the Seagull Cottage, the septic system and more. On June 26th, Walsh Engineering made a presentation to TEIA membership, followed by a Q&A. The presentation from the session is linked here and provides a comprehensive overview. An FAQ is linked here.
To succeed in moving these projects forward, TEIA will launch a capital campaign with a goal of $5-$6 million. The campaign is in a quiet phase and information on a public launch will be shared when available.
In September of 2024, an ad hoc committee composed of members of the Trefethen-Evergreen Improvement Association (TEIA) Board of Governors, as well as general members of the association, was formed. The charge of this Resilience and Climate Change Committee is to examine the residual impacts of the January 2024 storm surge, as well as the future implications of climate change on the TEIA clubhouse and surrounding property. There is increasing concern that without significant investment and reinforcement, the clubhouse will be at risk from future weather events.
The ad hoc committee serves in an advisory/consultative capacity and will report findings and recommendations to the chair of the board. All decisions must be voted on by the Board of Governors given the board’s fiduciary responsibilities.
As of October 20, 2024, the ad hoc committee held two formal meetings and, along with the chair of the board, presented initial findings to membership during an October 13 end of season gathering at the clubhouse. Additionally, individuals have worked on assignments in between meetings to inform progress and recommendations.
Initial committee tasks included reviewing past storm damage and repairs, as well as assessments and recommendations by Walsh Engineering Associates and James G. Merry Building Movers. Additionally, the committee has collected data and information from public sources including FEMA. Background that contributed to committee work is available here.
Next Steps
At the current time, TEIA must consider one or more of the following options to preserve the historic TEIA clubhouse:
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Build a seawall as outlined in the above linked presentation
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Lift the clubhouse and add steel reinforcement
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Lift and move the clubhouse and add steel reinforcement
While there are cost estimates for planning and permitting for option 1 (the seawall), cost estimates for implementation and for options 2 and 3 are pending. As these costs become clear, they will be shared with membership. The association is in the process of finalizing an SBA loan for work needed most immediately. This initiative will most certainly require a significant capital campaign.
While work currently focuses on the clubhouse, the Seagull Cottage and the entirety of the property will be assessed as part of a Master Planning project.
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In September of 2024, as a result of two historic storms during the winter, an ad hoc committee was formed to develop action plans for both immediate/near-term needs and longer-range initiatives to protect the historic TEIA clubhouse and surrounding property.
On this page, you will find several updates on the progress of these efforts. All are encouraged to send feedback and questions. Members of the committee can be contacted at info@teiaclub.org.
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Jean Gulliver, fundraising lead
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Bill Hall, construction lead
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Steve Clayman
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Chris Harper-Fahey
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Basil Klosteridis
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Phyllis MacIsaac
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Jeff Marks
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Rob Meharg
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Mark Millar
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Julia Nord
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Nikhil Pereira-Kamath
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Fred Somers