Wondering what the women of Port 44 are up to in Williamsport? Here's a progress report
WILLIAMSPORT — When we last checked in with Port 44, the all-female development group was making a splash in this canal town with the renovation of venerable buildings on Conococheague and Salisbury streets. Nearly half a dozen businesses had moved in, and seven newly redesigned, upscale apartments were occupied.
That was last fall.
Since then a long-awaited bakery has moved in, and more businesses are set to open this summer. It's going to be a busy season for Port 44 — and Williamsport, too.
Five women, 16 buildings and a Williamsport renaissance
Port 44 is named for Lockhouse 44, which sits on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at Williamsport. It emerged in 2019 — the brainchild of five women and a dream.
On a sunny May afternoon in 2024, CEO Selena Wilkes proudly shows off what's already been completed and previews what's coming next for Port 44. And what's coming next, in mid-June, is Ruth's Market: A retail business of Palmyra Farm that will feature locally sourced meats and produce and, naturally, Palmyra Farm cheeses.
But more about that in a minute. First is a stop at Sweet Notes Bakery, which opened this spring in Port 44's building at 34 N. Conococheague.
It's the new base for baker Devin Taylor, who started her business in her home a few years ago. It took a little longer than originally planned to get her storefront, but she's a happy camper now.
"It's been amazing," Taylor said from behind her pristine counter. "The community is so welcoming … they're excited, I'm excited — so it's been a whirlwind."
She frequently sells out of her baked goods by mid-afternoon. "On Saturdays we do cinnamon rolls, and there's a line out the door for 'em," Taylor said.
The shop has blue and white decor and some special touches — such as light fixtures designed from bakery whisks.
"We really pay attention to the fine detail," Wilkes said. "We work with all of our tenants to what their vision is … these are personal touches that you're not going to find anywhere else."
They're also preserving as much of the buildings' architectural integrity as possible. At Sweet Notes Bakery, that meant preserving an original fireplace and tin ceiling, as well as the cabinetry that previously served a pharmacy.
"We've worked with the fire marshal, because we're trying to preserve, but we also need to meet the code or the fire rating," Wilkes said.
For the tin ceiling, that meant applying several coats of fire-retardant paint.
"You've gotta get creative in how you want to do things," she said, "but at the same time, we've gotta be cautious with respect to the cost. So I feel like we found a really good balance."
But it takes time, she added, "and that's something a lot of people don't understand." But she said the fire marshal's office, the county permitting office and the health department had all been helpful.
Despite the time it took, Taylor sad the end result was "even better" than she thought it would be.
"I think it's the perfect mix of a little bit of modern, but all the history," she said. "The building's beautiful. We just made it look good."
She's already planning events — a wedding-cake tasting is coming up, she said — and some baking classes.
"I do have a French class coming in from the local high school," she said. "I'm gonna teach them French macarons."
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'I want to get back to my old hometown'
At 30 N. Conococheague, financial planner Greg Andra looked up from his desk long enough to reflect on his first year in a Port 44 building.
"My clients like this office space a lot," he said. "I like it; it's close to home and it fits the kind of business model that I have."
While Port 44 has recruited many of the businesses filling up its buildings, Andra, who remembered Williamsport's commercial center from his childhood, came to them.
"I just told my wife, you know, I just really want to get back into my old hometown," he said. He contacted Wilkes.
"I just asked her, I was looking for this size space and everything, I said, 'this is kind of what I'm looking for' if she could provide it."
Port 44 built out the space he wanted — preserving another fireplace and original beams and adding some features — and he moved in last year.
"I was only supposed to be here like, kind of part-time," he said. "I was gonna work from home some days a week and work from here the other, and I'm actually coming in like every day."
"Greg was one of our early supporters," Wilkes said. "He trusts me and the team with the vision."
Another early believer was Kendra Showe, owner of Lotus Moon Café — one of the first businesses to open in a Port 44 building.
Lotus Moon has a small dining area in front and a large space, perfect for gatherings, in the back. And now that the weather is warmer, business is picking up a bit.
"It's more populated in the summer because of the canal," Showe said, "bikers, hikers, things like that."
She's hoping hot weather holds off a little bit and the canal traffic stays high. But she likes her spot.
"It's very, very nice," she said. "We like Williamsport."
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An awe-inspiring hidden secret
The women of Port 44 are banking on lots of people liking Williamsport. And a long list of business owners are planning to settle into more of their buildings as they're renovated.
Which brings us back to Ruth's Market, the next project on the list.
The building at 28 N. Conococheague will house the market and another upscale apartment, Wilkes said. The former bank building once held all the trappings of a financial institution, including a vault.
But it also held a secret.
"If anybody is into art in this community, they're gonna absolutely love this building," Wilkes said. "We have discovered some amazing things, and most people in this area don't even know."
As they peeled way the layers to more original fixtures, Port 44's workers discovered a colorful art deco stained-glass skylight in the ceiling.
"I'm not so sure many people have ever seen such a thing," Wilkes said.
Port 44's architect said he'd never seen anything like that in Washington County, she added. But naturally, it will be a focal point for the market — along with some custom-made wrought-iron features designed to harken back to the building's banking history. Those will be crafted by Conococheague Street neighbors Rhodes Welding and Metal Works.
The market will fill a local need, she said, providing local produce, meat and dairy products from Washington County farms to a town that doesn't have much in the way of grocery stores.
The owners and operators of Palmyra Farm, which is off the Sharpsburg Pike south of Funkstown, "have a great working relationship with farmers in the area," Wilkes said.
"I'm excited not only for what's going in here, but I'm excited for our community to know they have their spot again for their food."
Hang on tight: That swarm of development projects is about to open up
And they're just getting started
Port 44 already has a plan for most of the other buildings it owns, with businesses already signed on to occupy the space.
"From an economic development standpoint, we tried to bring in the 'needs' first," Wilkes said. "You know, we need the bakery, we need a sandwich shop. We need services; Greg's a service, we have a lawyer's office.
"So we're trying to balance out all the needs that would bring people to town as well as the tourists."
The Kuczynski & Kuczynski law office and Del. Terry Baker, R-Washington, occupy one of Port 44's three Salisbury Street properties. Still Smokin' BBQ, which grew from its food truck, serves up meals at 24 N. Conococheague.
And here's what's coming after Ruth's:
22 N. Conococheague — Mile Marker 99 Bicycle Shop (kayaks, too!) and two luxury apartments for the National Park Service
18 N. Conococheague — Williamsport Food Bank (rear entrance)
23 N. Conococheague — Apotheke DuJardin — organic products
36 N. Conococheague — Custom Baits by Overloaded Outdoors
11 N. Conococheague — Locktender Mercantile (home goods) and two professional offices
30 W. Salisbury - Baile Cask & Kettle Brews & Bagels and a professional office (If Baile's sounds familiar to you, it might be because it's also opening a pub and bagel shop this summer in the Updegraff Building in downtown Hagerstown)
15 N. Conococheague — Port Trading Post and Gifts (visitor center) and professional office
17 N. Conococheague — Port Theatre Boutique, a new boutique at the site of the former Port Theatre
19 N. Conococheague — Stonehouse Urban Winery and three luxury apartments
21 N. Conococheague — Stonehouse Coffee and Ice Cream
23 N. Conococheague — Three luxury apartments
20 N. Conococheague — Rollo’s Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge — Named for the late Rollin "Rollo" Byers, a Williamsport icon, the restaurant will feature "fine dining in a casual atmosphere," Wilkes says. "Everybody wants that good steak, pork chop with the crab cake … but you've got people coming off the canal in cycling shorts; they need to feel comfortable."
15 E. Salisbury - Slackwater Art or Health Hub (TBD) and a luxury apartment
Rehabilitating 16 buildings, most of them from the 18th and 19th centuries, would be a life's work for many. But Wilkes wants to see it all done, and quickly. They're all ready for build-outs for new business, she said, and Port 44's mini-Williamsport renaissance has become a catalyst for other improvements.
"It's helping everybody, and other people have stepped up saying 'you know what, I want to be a part of this' " Wilkes said. "And I have noticed they have stepped up to do more for their own building.
"And that's the key — it's creating this great positive energy, and not just on the main street. I've gone through the different blocks in town, and notice even landlords in residential areas are fixing up their homes."
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Port 44 drawing more new business to Williamsport
