April 28, 2008

The Aquidneck Mill Building Restoration

The visit of U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) to the International Yacht Restoration School on April 28 marks a milestone for the restoration of the 1831 Aquidneck Mill Building. Federal funding secured by Senators Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will help fund the restoration of the mill and the revitalization of this "working waterfront" along Lower Thames Street.

Saving this historic landmark—a previously derelict building on the National Register of Historic Places—is only one aspect of the project. The restoration's impact will reverberate well beyond the grounds of the IYRS campus. The school's expanded facilities will house additional classroom space and provide more individuals greater access to vocational training and sustainable careers. The restored mill will also draw new businesses to the neighborhood and serve as a place where the public can access the waterfront and a part of Newport's history.  As Edward Sanderson of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission has said, "At least in Rhode Island, historic preservation is more about rehabilitating historic buildings for new uses…Rhode Island is recognizing that its future is in its past."

Training for the Marine Industry / An important resource for the marine industry, IYRS offers vocational training in traditional boat building and restoration, and in marine systems and associated technology. Programs offered in Newport and at a satellite facility in Bristol (R.I.) incorporate an educational model that integrates classroom instruction, hands-on work/study, and mentoring by industry professionals. According to a study of Rhode Island's marine industry—conducted for the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) and funded by the Governor's Workforce Board RI—the state's boating business is a dynamic hub of over 2,300 marine-related businesses accounting for $1.6 billion in sales. The industry now provides 6,600 jobs, but the industry has a 10% job-vacancy race. And that workforce will need to grow by some 36% over the next five to ten years to meet the current and anticipated demand for marine workers.

Community Impact / Once restored, the 30,000-square-foot mill will function as a centerpiece of the Lower Thames Street neighborhood. Not only will the mill accommodate a growing demand for the school's programs: it will also house a library open to both students and the public and lease space for organizations and businesses. Several firms—including yacht design firm Sparkman & Stephens, Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, Confident Captain, Legacy Yachts, and The Museum of Yachting—plan to occupy space in the mill, bringing a new concentration of maritime businesses to the neighborhood. The mill will enhance the school's 2.5-acre campus, which is open year-round to the public. Rhode Islanders, tourists, and area school children will benefit from increasingly rare access to this historic waterfront—and a campus that functions as a living and working museum.  

History / Originally built for cotton manufacturing in 1831, the mill initially housed 4,356 spindles manned by some 100 workers. Under later ownership of the Richmond Co., the mill was expanded with a brick addition and grew to a capacity of 9,632 spindles. In 1884, cotton manufacturing hit a depression and the Richmond operation was closed. The building was subsequently owned by a series of companies—including the Burnham Elastic Webbing Co., the Edison Illumination Co., and the Newport County Electric Company. IYRS purchased the property in 1995. The building is one of two mills still standing in Newport. The Perry Mill on the corner of Memorial Boulevard and Thames Street was restored as a retail/condominium complex (the foundation of the Coddington Mill was adapted for residential apartments). The Aquidneck Mill is the only mill in Newport whose restoration will reenact the city’s tradition of a working waterfront.

Financials / The mill restoration has been both on budget and on schedule. The estimated project cost is $7.5mm with approximately 35% funded by state and federal tax credits. The IYRS Board of Trustees has been generous in providing more than $1.5mm. U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI),  a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) secured over half a million dollars in the fiscal year 2008 appropriations spending bill to support the restoration. Area foundations have also been very helpful, including the 1772 Foundation, Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, Prince Trusts, and the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission. Currently, IYRS hopes to raise $750,000 by year-end.

 Project and Timing / The mill restoration broke ground in July 2007, and construction began in late September. The target date for the completion of the project is December 2008, with occupancy expected in January 2009. Newport Collaborative Architects, the firm that served as architect on the restoration of the Perry Mill, transformed the large open spaces of the building into a structure that functions as both a place for education and training and an historic site open to the public. Farrar & Associates, also of Newport, is managing the construction. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Terry Nathan, IYRS President (401-848-5777 / tnathan@iyrs.org)
Susan Daly, IYRS VP, Marketing (401-848-5777 / sdaly@iyrs.org)
www.iyrs.org