Mill conversion
Encyclopedia
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
or industrial factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
building is restored or rehabilitated into another use, such as residential housing, retail shops, office, or a mix of these non-industrial elements (mixed-use). The process is also sometimes called adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
, the process of adapting old structures for new purposes, although this term can also be applied to other structures such as old train stations, powerplants, palaces, etc.
Historical background
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the development of industry during 19th and early 20th Century resulted in the construction of thousands of mills or factory buildings typically of brick or stone masonry construction across the nation, with a high concentration in the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. By 1920, there were hundreds of mill towns across the region built for the production of textiles and other goods, such as shoes, machinery and other items. However, the Northern textile industry would suffer greatly beginning in the early 1920s, with the failure of many of these companies, and the rise in competition from Southern mills. Other industries would follow, especially during the later part of the 20th Century, when Globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
changed the economy, and entire industries began to move overseas to developing nations. Through the 20th Century, many mills carried on in a variety of industrial purposes, other than original intended use. Many were used for storage, or other small enterprises. Still, many more remained mostly vacant and underutilized through the middle part of the 20th Century, and even today. Many vacant mill buildings have become a target for vandalism, arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and contribute to urban blight in many communities.
A similar scenario has also played out in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and elsewhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during this same timeframe.
Historic awareness movement
Beginning in the 1960s, there was a large public outcry throughout the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for an increase in historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
, to stop the senseless loss of historic structures that began during the 1950s with so-called urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects in big cities and small towns across the nation. A similar movement occurred in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
decades earlier.
One result of this outcry was the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1966, by the Federal Government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
. Since this time, more than one-million listings have been added to the National Register, on many types of structures and places across the country. While not a certain guarantee that a structure will never be demolished, the National Register provides owners with a tool to seek national and state tax credits, grants and other assistance that may enable the rehabilitation of the building.
Since the 1960s communities across the country have established Historic Districts and special by-laws in an attempt to preserve and prevent the destruction of properties deemed important to the context of history.
Mill to museum conversion
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was Slater Mill
Slater Mill
A National Historic Landmark, the Slater Mill is located next to the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Modeled after cotton spinning mills first established in England, the Slater Mill is the first water-powered cotton spinning mill in North America to utilize the Arkwright system of...
, established by Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution", or the "Father of the American Factory System" because he brought British textile technology to America. He learned textile machinery as an apprentice to a pioneer in the British...
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
in 1793. With its significant historic value, the drive to restore Slater Mill into a public museum began during the mid-20th Century.
In 1976, Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell Heritage State Park is located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The State Park was established in the mid-1970s as a precursor to Lowell National Historical Park with the purpose of preserving the city's seminal role in the American Industrial Revolution...
was established in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
. In 1978, the United States Congress established Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of the United States located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Established in 1978 a few years after Lowell Heritage State Park, it is operated by the National Park Service and comprises a group of different sites in and around the city of...
and the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission. The legislation to create the park was sponsored by United States Senator and Lowell native Paul Tsongas
Paul Tsongas
Paul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
. The restoration gathered momentum in the 1980s, including the renovation of the canals and former mill facilities into museums, as well as the construction of a waterfront walkway.
During the 1980s, with the example of Lowell's National Historic Park coming into fruition, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established a series of Heritage State Parks throughout the state to celebrate and preserve the state's valuable historic (mostly industrial) history. Lawrence Heritage State Park
Lawrence Heritage State Park
Lawrence Heritage State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Lawrence. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:Lawrence Heritage State Park comprises three separate park areas, as follows:...
, which occupies a former mill boardinghouse in the city's industrial canal district, is an excellent example.
In 1999, the former Arnold Print Works mills in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
was converted into the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, commonly referred to as MASS MoCA, is a museum in a converted factory building located in North Adams, Massachusetts, USA. It is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing arts in the country.MASS MoCA opened with 19...
(MassMOCA).
Not all historic mills can be successfully transformed into museums however, only with the few, most significantly historic ones has this been possible.
Mill to residential conversion
Since most mills were initially zoned as "industrial" with the emergence of zoning ordinances during the mid and late 20th Century, an early obstacle of many planners and developers in transforming these vacant or underutilized mill spaces into residences was to convince local officials that the usefulness of the mills for continuing industry was limited. Business practices were changing, and the old mill buildings were no longer efficient or practical for industry. Even today, most jurisdictions require some sort of special permit or zoning change in order for the conversions to take place.One of the earliest known conversions of a historic textile mill into residential apartments is the Valley Falls Company
Valley Falls Company
The Valley Falls Company was founded in 1839 by Oliver Chace, in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, an historic mill village on both sides of the Blackstone River, within the modern-day towns of Cumberland and Central Falls, Rhode Island...
south mill located in Central Falls, Rhode Island
Central Falls, Rhode Island
Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 19,376 at the 2010 census. With an area of only , it is the smallest and most densely populated city in the smallest state, and the thirty-second most densely populated incorporated place in the United...
. This project was completed in 1979, and now includes 133 units of elderly housing.
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, situated in an historic 1870's brick cotton mill.
The huge Massachusetts Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
were converted into a 445-unit apartment complex beginning in 1990, while the nearby Market Mills Apartments have 230 units. In recent years, with Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
historic tax credit program, the Boott Mills and Lawrence Mills have been converted into residences also, as part of Lowell's continued revitalization of its historic waterfront area.
Mill conversions have also occurred in other parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, such as the Cotton Mill Condos in New Orleans, completed in 1997.
In recent years, there has been a trend toward the loft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
style apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
or condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
unit, with high ceilings, exposed bricks, tall windows, wood floors, and exposed beams or structural elements.
One of the most ambitious mill conversion projects in recent years is the transformation of the huge Wood Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
. Built in 1906, it was the largest textile mill in the world at the time. The project is known as Monarch on the Merrimack.
Mill to mixed-use conversion
Concurrent with the move to restore former industrial mills into residences, has been the conversion of certain sites into a mix of retail shops, offices and restaurants and other non-industrial uses. During the 1980s, many of the historic cotton mills in Fall River, MassachusettsFall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
were converted into factory outlet stores, although with minimal physical alteration other than some partitions and carpeting. The factory outlet stores in Fall River were highly successful for many years, but have in recent years declined, a victim of newer "premium outlet" malls opening up in nearby suburban areas such as Wrentham, Massachusetts
Wrentham, Massachusetts
Wrentham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,955 at the 2010 census.- History :Wrentham was first settled by the English in 1660 and officially incorporated in 1673. It was burned down during King Philip's War 1675-1676. For a short time, it was the...
, and others.
One excellent example of a mill to mixed-use conversion in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
is the Clocktower Place, located in the small town of Maynard, Massachusetts
Maynard, Massachusetts
Maynard is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 10,106.- History :Maynard, located on the Assabet River, was incorporated as an independent municipality in 1871. Prior to that it was known as 'Assabet Village' but was legally...
. The huge mill complex was originally the Assabet Manufacturing Company, which grew during the 19th century to be one of the largest textile companies in the state, specializing in woolen goods. It was later acquired by the American Woolen Company
American Woolen Company
The American Woolen Company was established in 1899 under the leadership of William M. Wood and his father-in-law Frederick Ayer through the consolidation of eight financially troubled New England woolen mills. At the company's height in the 1920s, it owned and operated 60 woolen mills across New...
, and later, by Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
, until it finally vacated the location in 2001. Since then, the entire complex has been transformed into an office park. It is now home to many companies in differing markets. Its most famous tenant is perhaps Monster.com
Monster.com
Monster.com is one of the largest employment websites in the world, owned and operated by Monster Worldwide, Inc. Monster is one of the 20 most visited websites out of 100 million worldwide, according to comScore Media Metrics...
.
The largest mill to mixed-use conversion in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
however, can be found at Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, with the successful renovation and conversion of the Amoskeag Millyard
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was a textile manufacturer which founded Manchester, New Hampshire. From modest beginnings in near wilderness, it grew throughout the 19th century into the largest cotton textile plant in the world. At its peak, Amoskeag was unrivaled both for the quality and...
, once the largest single textile company in the world. The Amoskeag Millyard is the centerpiece of Manchester's waterfront, and includes offices, restaurants, a museum, residences and a university.
Historic tax credits
In recent years, many states have enacted Historic Tax Credit programs in an attempt to enable the rehabilitation of older structures deemed to be "historically significant". Typically, the major criteria for this determination is a listing with the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, usually followed by a review by state and local agencies. The development companies typically utilize the tax credits to offset the usually expensive process of renovation and site cleanup.
An example of a Mill conversion utilized by the use of a state historic tax program is the Royal Mills in West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,191 at the 2010 census.West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the western bank of the Pawtuxet River, was the population and...
, redeveloped by SBER a Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
-based company with a long history of historic preservation projects. This mill had sat vacant for many years, and was in serious threat of being demolished. The site has since successfully been converted into residential apartments, situated on the Pawtuxet River
Pawtuxet River
The Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows and drains a watershed of . There are four dams along the river's length.-Course:...
with a walking trail and bike path nearby.
While recently suspended due to the State's budget crisis, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's Historic Tax Credit Program was deemed as one of the most successful in the nation, enabling hundreds of historic structures across the state to be preserved over the past several years since it was enacted.
The benefits historic tax credit programs to state budgets have been often controversial, but there are many indirect economic benefits to local communities.
The property tax value of a restored mill it typically about ten times greater than the existing underutilized mill building, and there is also the added benefit of many construction jobs and other services during the renovation process. The intangible value of having an historic factory building preserved for future generations to enjoy, as well as the benefits to the community are often harder to calculate. The restored mill buildings often become the focal point of the community.
See also
- Cregg MillCregg MillCregg Mill is a converted 18th century watermill located near Corrandulla village in County Galway, Ireland, approximately 9 miles from Galway City. The mill serviced the local area, including neighbouring Cregg Castle, and served as a feeding centre for the poor of Corrandulla during the Great...
- Slater MillSlater MillA National Historic Landmark, the Slater Mill is located next to the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Modeled after cotton spinning mills first established in England, the Slater Mill is the first water-powered cotton spinning mill in North America to utilize the Arkwright system of...
- National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- Historic PreservationHistoric preservationHistoric preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
- Historic Districts
- Lowell National Historic Park