Shaw Brothers Construction announced a significant pledge of one million dollars to Maine Medical Center (MMC) to assist with a major expansion of its Portland facilities. This donation will help fund the construction of an open-air entrance causeway at the street level of the hospital’s new patient care building, to be known as Congress Street Tower.

Construction on the five-story tower is scheduled to begin soon near the intersection of Congress and Gilman streets, on the site of an obsolete parking garage. This major addition to Maine Med will provide five floors for clinical services, including 64 patient rooms with universal beds as well as 19 procedure rooms, and will become the new home of all of the hospital’s cardiovascular services.

The entrance causeway will be named in honor of the late Sally Shaw, mother of Shaw Brothers founders Jon Shaw and Dan Shaw. Known as the Sally Shaw Causeway, the innovative structure has been designed to be a welcoming entrance space for the approximately 24,000 patients and family members who will be passing through it after construction is completed in 2023.

The nature-filled design is intended to reflect Sally Shaw’s love of perennial flower gardening which she enjoyed while raising nine children with her husband, Dewayn Shaw, on the family farm in Gorham.

Although “causeway” often refers to a narrow embankment crossing a body of water, in this case it refers to a raised walkway which is separated from foot traffic on the nearby sidewalk. The Sally Shaw Causeway will feature a sloping tree-lined path, utilizing native Maine plants and locally-sourced stones. The natural area will provide an opportunity to experience fresh air, sunshine, and a feeling of respite for anyone who is entering or leaving the hospital.

This type of project is in line with Jon and Dan Shaw’s many philanthropic efforts, which have also benefited members of the Gorham community. Both Shaw Park and Shaw Cherry Hill Farm have given residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

Dan Shaw said, “Shaw Brothers Construction is proud to support MMC’s modernization while honoring our mother. We believe that the Sally Shaw Causeway will serve as a living testament to her love for family, gardening, and community.”

Additionally, Maine Med will be naming a new entrance road at its Scarborough office complex Shaw Brothers Way, in recognition of the many services and contributions Shaw Brothers Construction has provided to the medical center over the years.