Mill Conversion or mill rehab is a form of
adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. It is also known as recycling and conversion. Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for optimizing the o ...
in which a historic
mill
Mill may refer to:
Science and technology
*
* Mill (grinding)
* Milling (machining)
* Millwork
* Textile mill
* Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel
* List of types of mill
* Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...
or industrial
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...
building is restored or rehabilitated into another use, such as
residential housing,
retail shops,
office
An office is a space where an Organization, organization's employees perform Business administration, administrative Work (human activity), work in order to support and realize objects and Goals, plans, action theory, goals of the organizati ...
, or a mix of these non-industrial elements (
mixed-use
Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
).
Historical background
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
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
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
. By 1920, there were hundreds of
mill towns
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories, usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe
Italy
* ''Crespi d'Adda'', UNESCO World Her ...
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, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...
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 is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
and contribute to
urban blight
Urban decay (also known as urban rot, urban death or urban blight) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban deca ...
in many communities.
A similar scenario has also played out in
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
and elsewhere in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
during this same timeframe.
Historic awareness movement
Beginning in the 1960s, there was a large public outcry throughout the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
for an increase in
historic preservation
Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...
, to stop the loss of historic structures that began during the 1950s with
urban renewal
Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of blighte ...
projects in big cities and small towns across the nation. A similar movement occurred in
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
decades earlier.
One result of this outcry was the establishment of the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1966, by the
Federal Government
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
. 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
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...
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
The first successful
textile mill
Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
was
Slater Mill
The Slater Mill is a historic water-powered textile mill complex on the banks of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, modeled after cotton spinning mills first established in England. It is the first water-powered cotton spinning mil ...
, established by
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater (June 9, 1768 – April 21, 1835) was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution" (a phrase coined by Andrew Jackson) and the "Father of the American Factory System". In the ...
in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Falls ...
in 1793. With its significant historic value, the drive to restore Slater Mill into a public museum began during the mid-20th century.
In 1971, th
Brandywine River Museum of Artopened in
Chadds Ford,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
in a converted
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
-era
grist mill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
. The mill (and an additional 8 1/2 acres) was purchased at auction by the newly formed Brandywine Conservancy. Renovations began in 1970 and the museum opened in 1971. The renovation was done by James R. Grieves Associates, Inc. of Baltimore. Grieves was the only professional consulted who wanted to keep the 19th structure intact. Other architects recommended tearing it down and starting over. The museum exhibits Wyeth and American art, with galleries devoted to the works of N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth.
In 1976,
Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell Heritage State Park is a public recreation area and historical preserve located in Lowell, Massachusetts, that protects and promotes the city's seminal role in the American Industrial Revolution. The state park was established in 1974 as ...
was established in
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...
. In 1978, the United States Congress established
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 g ...
and the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission. The legislation to create the park was sponsored by United States Senator and Lowell native
Paul Tsongas
Paul Efthemios Tsongas (; February 14, 1941 – January 18, 1997) was an American politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1979 until 1985 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 until 197 ...
. 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
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, 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 is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 12,961 as of the 2020 census. Best known as the ...
was converted into the
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is a museum in a converted Arnold Print Works factory building complex located in North Adams, Massachusetts. It is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing ar ...
(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
Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
into residential apartments is the
Valley Falls Company
The Valley Falls Company was founded in 1839 by Oliver Chace, in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, a historic mill village on both sides of the Blackstone River, within the modern-day town of Cumberland and city of Central Falls, Rhode Island. The Vall ...
south mill located in
Central Falls, Rhode Island
Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,583 at the 2020 census. With an area of only , it is the smallest and most densely populated city in the smallest state, and the 27th most densely ...
. This project was completed in 1979, and now includes 133 units of elderly housing.
Other mill conversion projects during the 1980s include the Border City Mill Apartments in
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
, situated in a historic 1870s brick cotton mill.
The huge Massachusetts Mills in
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...
were converted into a 445-unit apartment complex beginning in 1990, while the nearby Market Mills Apartments have 230 units. In recent years, with
historic tax credit program, th
Boott Millsan
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
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, such as th
Cotton Mill Condosin
, completed in 1997.
In recent years, there has been a trend toward the
loft
A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...
style
apartment
An apartment (American English), or flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies part of a building, generally on a single story. There are ma ...
or
condominium
A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
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 is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and Nort ...
. Built in 1906, it was the largest
textile mill
Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
in the world at the time. The project is known a
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, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
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 ( ) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,178 at the 2020 census.
History
In 1660, five men from Dedham were sent to explore the lakes near George Indian's wigwam and to report back to the ...
, and others.
One excellent example of a mill to mixed-use conversion in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
is th
Clocktower Place located in the small town of
Maynard, Massachusetts
Maynard is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 22 miles west of Boston, in the MetroWest and Greater Boston region of Massachusetts and borders Acton, Concord, Stow and Sudbury. The town's population w ...
. 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
The American Woolen Company is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of men’s and women’s worsted and woolen fabrics. Based in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, the company operates from the 160-year-old Warren Mills, which it acquired from Lo ...
, and later, by
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s. The company was co-founded by Ken Olsen and Harlan Anderson in 1957. Olsen was president unt ...
, 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 is a global employment website owned and operated by Monster Worldwide, Inc. It was created in 1999 through the merger of The Monster Board (TMB) and Online Career Centre (OCC). It is a subsidiary of Randstad Holding, a Dutch mult ...
.
The largest mill to mixed-use conversion in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
however, can be found at
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous city in New Hampshire. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 115,644.
Manchester is, along with Nashua, one of two seats of New Hamp ...
, with the successful renovation and conversion of the
Amoskeag Millyard, 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
Often, parking, utilities and other infrastructure need to be upgraded as part of the mill conversion process. Many of the old industrial sites contain levels of contamination, which can be very costly for the developers to mitigate.
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
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, 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 is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,012 at the 2020 census.
West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the wester ...
, redeveloped b
SBERa
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
-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
The Pawtuxet River, also known as the Pawtuxet River Main Stem and the Lower Pawtuxet, is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, ac ...
with a walking trail and bike path nearby.
While recently suspended due to the State's budget crisis,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
'
Historic Tax Credit Programwas 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.
/ref>
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 a 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 Mill
*Slater Mill
The Slater Mill is a historic water-powered textile mill complex on the banks of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, modeled after cotton spinning mills first established in England. It is the first water-powered cotton spinning mil ...
* The Hilliard Mills
*National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
*Historic Preservation
Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...
*Historic Districts
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...
*Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. It is also known as recycling and conversion. Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for optimizing the o ...
*Lowell National Historic 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 g ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Clocktower Place, Maynard, Massachusetts
New Hampshire Conversion Projects
Royal Mills - West Warwick, Rhode Island
Historic preservation
Reuse
Industrial buildings