25 Mar 2026 From Lumber to Trees; HBI and Speak for the Trees evaluate historic building for nonprofit headquarters
In a promising development for the Port Norfolk neighborhood of Dorchester, Historic Boston Inc. (HBI) and the non-profit organization Speak for the Trees are exploring the potential reuse of the long-vacant A.T. Stearns Counting House. This historic building, constructed in 1855, could soon serve as a center for the preservation, care, and expansion of the urban tree canopy in environmentally marginalized neighborhoods across Boston.
Located at 98 Taylor Street, the building is currently owned by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It was once the office of the A.T. Stearns Lumber Company, a major player in the New England lumber industry from 1849 until the company closed its doors in 1968. During its peak, Stearns Lumber Co. helped transform Port Norfolk into a hub for the industry, operating across 40 acres in the area and a sawmill in Apalachicola, Florida.
Pictured in a 1930 Stearns’ Cypress Greenhouse Materials catalog above, in the 1970s on the left, and today on the right.
Executive Director David Meshoulam and his team at Speak for the Trees Boston have been working closely with HBI to advance a shared vision for the site. Together, the team is moving toward establishing a permanent home for Speak for the Trees, creating a hub for urban forestry, environmental education, and community programming. This collaborative effort is focused on refining the design, aligning resources, and preparing the building to serve as a vibrant center for tree stewardship and neighborhood engagement.
HBI’s Director of Real Estate Development, Tony Lopes, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We think it would be a wonderful coincidence if this organization — devoted to growing trees — re-uses a building that for over a century harvested and transformed trees into building material.” This initiative could bring new purpose to the once-thriving site, creating a symbolic link between Boston’s industrial past and its sustainable future.
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A legacy of lumber lives on in Port Norfolk: The history of the A.T. Stearns Lumber Co.