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A large, two-story Victorian house with a wraparound porch, set in a grassy yard surrounded by trees and autumn leaves on the ground.
Our Work/Commercial/The Gehring House

The Gehring House

Top: An old, weathered Victorian house with peeling paint. Bottom: The same house renovated, freshly painted, with two people walking on a leaf-strewn path in front.
Two images show the same large house: the top image depicts it old and worn, while the bottom image shows it beautifully renovated and freshly painted.
A large, purple Victorian-style house with white trim and a porch; two people walk along the front yard on a sunny day.
Two people walk past a large, Victorian-style purple house with white trim, rounded turret, and a covered porch, surrounded by trees and fallen autumn leaves.
A wooden staircase with ornate banister and green textured wall paneling, in a room with light wooden floors and white upper walls.

Project Details

DESIGN

Woodhull

Patrick Boothe, AIA, NCARB

Anna Pajulo, AIA

BUILD

Woodhull

Mark Sturgeon

Shawn Couture

MILLWORK

Wentworth Woodworking – Millwork – Bryant Pond, ME

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Haley Ward

HISTORIC CONSULTANT

Margaret Gaertner

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Mitchell and Associates Landscape Architects

LOCATION

Bethel, Maine

PHOTOGRAPHY

Trent Bell

SERVICES

Preserving an Icon

Built in 1896, the Gehring House is a three-story building overlooking the Androscoggin River Valley in Bethel, Maine. The structure sits on ten acres and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over time, aging systems and deferred maintenance made rehabilitation necessary to keep the building in use.

A Renewed Purpose

Woodhull led the rehabilitation of the 13,000-square-foot structure, providing both architectural design and construction services. The project converted the building into nine apartments without altering its historic fabric. Inside, the work included structural reinforcement, new mechanical systems, energy upgrades, and, where possible, the careful restoration of character-defining details.

A Shared Effort

Working within a 1896 structure required thoughtful coordination. Modern building codes, residential life-safety requirements, and new mechanical systems all had to be integrated within a historically sensitive envelope. Woodhull worked closely with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the National Park Service to ensure the project met the standards required for Federal and Maine Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits.

Serving Bethel Today

Completed in April 2025, the project gives new life to one of Bethel’s defining buildings. The Gehring House now provides nine modern homes in the heart of town, helping address a growing need for housing while preserving a landmark that has shaped Bethel’s identity for more than a century. The rehabilitation demonstrates how historic preservation can support community growth, protect the past, and create meaningful opportunities for the future.

Close-up of an ornate, vintage metal door handle and lock on a partially open wooden door with decorative panels.
A wooden staircase with ornate railing leads upward in a bright room with green and white walls, wood trim, and polished floors. A large window lets in natural light.
A couple walks up the steps to the porch of a large Victorian-style house with purple siding and white trim, surrounded by trees and greenery.
A wooden spiral staircase photographed from below against a plain beige wall, showing elegant curves and balusters.
A bright dining room with large windows, wooden table and chairs, indoor plants, a blue-patterned rug, and a round mirror on the wall.
A cozy living room with a wooden dining table, gray sofa, brick fireplace with a mantle, books, candles, and plants. A colorful tapestry hangs on the wall by the window.
A cozy dining room with a wooden table, patterned rug, indoor plants by the window, and framed art on paneled walls, with a chandelier overhead and a lamp on a side table.
An older woman and a younger woman stand in a sunlit kitchen, engaged in conversation. The kitchen has large windows, modern cabinets, and a painting on the wall.
Cozy living room with wood paneling, a brick fireplace, a window seat with pillows, and a coffee table decorated with gourds and autumn decor.
A close-up of a red brick chimney on the roof of a maroon house with white trim, in front of a tall pine tree and cloudy sky.
A large, two-story Victorian house with a wraparound porch, set in a grassy yard surrounded by trees and autumn leaves on the ground.
A large, red Victorian-style house with white trim, multiple chimneys, and a glass-enclosed porch, surrounded by trees and shrubs under a partly cloudy sky.

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