adaptive reuse new england

Former Schrafft’s Candy Factory – Converse HQ // 1907

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Possibly my favorite building in the Bulfinch Triangle/North Station area of Boston is this brick behemoth. Known as the Schrafft’s Candy Factory, Hoffman Building, Lovejoy Wharf, Submarine Signal Building, etc., the building was constructed in 1907 from plans by Codman & Despradelle and first-occupied by the Schrafft’s Candy Company. It held the candy makers until 1928, when Schrafft’s moved to Charlestown, building their massive factory in Sullivan Square. A landmark in the Panel Brick style of architecture, prevalent in industrial and multi-family structures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the old factory saw many later uses from cold storage, to a Submarine Signal Co. before it was largely vacant by the end of the 20th century. Through Preservation Tax Credits and grants, developer Related Beal was able to reimagine the building, restoring it to its former glory. The Architectural Team (TAT) oversaw the renovations and expansion of the building with a glass crown with the project accommodating the corporate headquarters for world-renowned sneaker manufacturer, Converse.

Norwood Press Complex // 1897

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Now that is an interesting example of adaptive use… What do you think of this?

The Norwood Press was formed in 1894 by several companies which consolidated to form a company that covered all aspects of the book-making process. AII three companies had been located in Boston, but were lured to Norwood by free land offered by the local Business Association along with tax incentives that were too good to pass up. The underutilized land was quickly redeveloped in the 1890s with the several-building complex built on Washington Street in Norwood, Massachusetts with the largest building (pictured) constructed in 1897. By 1904,the press room of this plant was one of the largest in the U.S.,producing nearly seven million volumes ranging from 100 to 1,600 pages each. By 1917, the Norwood Press employed 600 workers in town! The Romanesque Revival style brick factory stands out for its five-story clocktower with (now enclosed) arches and corbelling. The Norwood Press closed after WWII and the plant was purchased by the Northrup Company. Today, the warehouse is under new ownership and is used as a storage facility, with many of the windows enclosed for the storage units.

Peep Toad Mill // c.1850

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The Peep Toad Mill (also known as the Elliottville Lower Mill) was built in Killingly, Connecticut, around 1850 by the Elliottville Manufacturing Company, whose larger main mill was upstream from this complex. The Elliottville Manufacturing Company was formed in the 1830s and later acquired by Albert Elliott and Nelson Eddy, who expanded operations here. This structure, the lower Mill was used for spinning and preparing the warps for cotton sheetings, the firm’s principal product. In 1870, the two mills employed 18 women, 18 children and 13 men. The business closed in the 1880s, and the building was vacant for some time before being converted to a residence and artist studio. The old mill is a rare surviving example of a wood-frame textile mill, many of which were built but few of which survive, due to fires and/or later expansion of the premises. The present owners have done an amazing job restoring and maintaining this rare treasure!

Former St. Mary’s of the Bay Catholic Church // 1928

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Catholic residents of Hull, Massachusetts surged in the early 20th century with many well-to-do Irish families settling in town as year-round or summer residents. As a result, the cramped original St. Mary’s of the Bay Catholic Church was deemed too cramped, and a site in Hull Village was selected for a new church. In 1927, ground was broken for the new stucco church, which was partially funded by the Kennedy Family, who had a summer house nearby. The first service took place in 1928 and the church was in use as a religious building until the 1990s when it was sold to a private owner. The church was converted to a single-family residence and recently sold to new owners, who preserve the significant Spanish Colonial Revival style edifice.