$1.4 Million Revives Shaker Mill Building | Owners seek to fill up vacant space
The building at 2 Shaker Rd. in Shirley was built in 1850 by the local Shaker community, and over the years it housed a cotton mill and then a rope factory. Finally, it became part of a business complex known as Phoenix Park.
But by 2003, part of the old mill's foundation was threatening to collapse. So park owner Eric Shapiro evacuated the building's tenants and started making plans to repair and improve it.
Back In Business
Now, five years and $1.4 million dollars later, the 28,000-square-foot building is once again fit for use as office, laboratory and R&D space.
Shapiro said the job moved slower than he would have liked in part because of the building's age.
âThere were no plans,â he said. âThe structural components of that type of building are different than they are today. There was a lot of due diligence that had to go into designing a new structural system, just to first learn what's there and what's underneath it and then plan ahead.â
The project ended up consuming more money than he had expected, Shapiro said, and he had to stop in the middle to get more financing in place.
Fortunately, he said, he was able to draw on the expertise of Senate Construction, a company that, conveniently enough, has its headquarters in Phoenix Park.
Bob France, president of Senate, said Shapiro approached the company about finding ways to make the building safer, preserve its historic features and expand the available space inside. France said it has been able to accomplish those goals, and most of the building is now ready for tenants, though Senate is continuing to work on the basement and some other parts of the structure.
A Look Back
Shapiro said he has already found three tenants for the building. ETI Professionals Inc. of Colorado, also known as EnviroTemps, has moved in already, he said, and Florida-based Lincare Holdings Inc. and Exalpha Biologicals Inc. of Maynard will be following soon. Shapiro said he is still seeking tenants for additional space in the old mill.
The renovation process also turned up some interesting history, France said. At a recent event sponsored by the Shirley Historical Society the company presented historical features exposed during the renovation, including a 100-year-old water wheel. The audience included several people who had worked in the building when it was an active mill, or whose parents or grandparents did, France said.
âFrom a historical perspective, the restoration of the building has been well appreciated by the community,â he said.
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