Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District

Last updated

Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District
YonkersNY AlexanderSmithCarpetMills2.jpg
View from Walnut Street
USA New York location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
LocationRoughly bounded by Saw Mill River Rd., Orchard St., Lake and Ashburton Aves., Yonkers, New York
Coordinates 40°56′33″N73°53′1″W / 40.94250°N 73.88361°W / 40.94250; -73.88361
Area38 acres (15 ha)
Built1871
Architectural styleInternational Style
NRHP reference No. 83001832 [1]
Added to NRHPAugust 11, 1983

The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District is a national historic district located at Yonkers, Westchester County, New York. It includes 85 contributing buildings. It encompasses 19 stylistically varied mill buildings and six rows of workers' housing. They were developed between 1871 and 1930 in the vicinity of northeastern Getty Square along the banks of the Saw Mill River. The main mill building was originally built in 1871 and expanded between 1876 and 1883. It is a three-story, rectangular building, 52 bays wide and five bays deep in the Second Empire style. It features a four-story tower and a five-story tower. The workers' housing, known as Moquette Row, North and South, was built between 1881 and 1886. Many workers that lived in this housing originally were immigrants to the United States. They came from Scotland, Ireland, and Ukraine. [2] The carpet works were developed by Alexander Smith (1818-1878) The company closed the Yonkers mills and relocated to Greenville, Mississippi, in 1954. [3] At the time of its closing, there were 2,400 who worked at the carpet mill. [4] At the time of World War II, there was 7,000 employees who worked at the mill. [5] It was later absorbed into Mohawk Carpet, later Mohasco Corporation. [6] The carpet weaving industry was revolutionized by looms invented in this plant by Alexander Smith and Halcyon Skinner. [7] Skinner, an engineer, designed a loom known as the Axminster power loom (also known as the Moquette Loom), which revolutionized the production of carpets. A patent for this loom was created in 1877 and royalty rights were sold to European and American companies at the rate of twenty cents per yard of carpet produced. [8]

Contents

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. [1] Today, members of the YoHo Artist Community work out of two of buildings, located at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue. [9]

Carpet Mills Arts District

The Carpet Mills Arts District in Yonkers, New York was formalized in March 2016 when the City Council cast a unanimous vote in favor of its approval. City Mayor Mike Spano subsequently signed the legislation on April 5, 2016. The arts district occupies the former carpet mills factory buildings located in the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District. Its boundaries lie from Lake Avenue to the north and Ashburton Avenue to the south, and to Nepperhan Avenue to the west, extending to Saw Mill River Road to the east, encompassing the following buildings:

[10]

District beginnings

Early creative industry and artist activity in the area dates back decades ago, with a few tenants working out of the factory buildings as early as the 1980s. [11] When private developers acquired two buildings at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue in 2005, there were 25 artists working out of the Mills. This group grew to become to the YOHO Artist Community.

Developers managed and carefully grew the community through the use of events and promotion of the community until it grew from 25 to 85 artists over eight years, and the artist trend spread to other sections of the Mills owned by other developers. The developers collaborated through events and lobbying Yonkers City Officials to form the Carpet Mills Artists District - a change that was approved by the City of Yonkers under Mayor Mike Spano on April 5, 2016. [12]

In April 2015, Mayor Mike Spano announced the proposal of Carpet Mills Arts District (CMAD). He hosted a ribbon-cutting for the recently named district as a kick-off for Yonkers Arts Weekend the following month, the success of which was attributed to the collaboration of city officials, building owners Huang and Rose, and the growing numbers of local artists in the area. Similar events had been happening at YOHO for many years, with the artist community inviting the public to their popular Annual Open Studios event. [13]

The Open Studios paved the way for a more widespread event that would branch out to other locations in Yonkers. The mayor noted with the proposed zoning change that coincided with the creation of CMAD, the district would see future growth as restaurants, boutiques, galleries, retail shops, and a higher number of artists would be encouraged to move into the area. [14]

Approval of Arts District

On April 5, 2016, Mayor Mike Spano approved the zoning change that would allow the area to operate as a formal arts district, and officiated a legislative signing ceremony on May 12, with Councilman Sabatino, George Huang, and Randolph Rose participating.

The district has been awarded a $500,000 capital grant to be used for further development, including building improvements, landscaping, signage, and lighting. With the formation of this arts district, Yonkers, New York and the supporters of this project see a future as a public arts destination. According to Yonkers Deputy Planning Commissioner Louis Albano, " It was decided to take advantage of some of the artisans in the area and create this district to allow them two things - to show their wares and to open galleries that would be ancillary and complementary to the crafts that they produce in their shops, but also to create restaurant space to create more visitors and foot traffic into the area." He further describes the arts district as "our little baby Soho going on in the Nepperhan Valley." [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westchester County, New York</span> County in New York, United States

Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population of 1,004,456, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 55,344 (5.8%) from the 949,113 counted in 2010. Located in the Hudson Valley, Westchester covers an area of 450 square miles (1,200 km2), consisting of six cities, 19 towns, and 23 villages. Established in 1683, Westchester was named after the city of Chester, England. The county seat is the city of White Plains, while the most populous municipality in the county is the city of Yonkers, with 211,569 residents per the 2020 U.S. Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers, New York</span> City in New York, United States

Yonkers is a city in Westchester County, New York, and a suburb of New York City. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enumerated in the 2020 United States Census. It is classified as an inner suburb of New York City, located directly to the north of the Bronx and approximately 2.4 miles (4 km) north of Marble Hill, Manhattan, the northernmost point in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Getty Square</span> Public square in Yonkers, New York

Getty Square is the name for downtown Yonkers, New York, centered on the public square. Getty Square is the civic center, central business district, and transit hub of the City of Yonkers. A dense and growing residential area, it is located in southern Westchester County, New York. The square is named after prominent 19th-century merchant Robert Getty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croton Aqueduct</span> Pipeline that carried water to New York City from its reservoirs in 19th century

The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842. The great aqueducts, which were among the first in the United States, carried water by gravity 41 miles (66 km) from the Croton River in Westchester County to reservoirs in Manhattan. It was built because local water resources had become polluted and inadequate for the growing population of the city. Although the aqueduct was largely superseded by the New Croton Aqueduct, which was built in 1890, the Old Croton Aqueduct remained in service until 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross County Parkway</span>

The Cross County Parkway (CCP) is a 4.46-mile-long (7.18 km) parkway in lower Westchester County, New York, in the United States. The parkway is a critical east–west connection throughout Westchester, having full interchanges with every major north–south highway in southern Westchester with the exception of Interstate 95. Among its junctions, it has access to the New York State Thruway mainline. The western terminus is at the Saw Mill Parkway in Yonkers. The eastern terminus is at the Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers Public Schools</span> School district in the U.S. state of New York

Yonkers Public Schools is a school district that serves all of Yonkers, New York, United States. It is governed by a mayorally appointed Board of Trustees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saw Mill River</span> River in the United States of America

The Saw Mill River is a 23.5-mile (37.8 km) tributary of the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York, United States. It flows from an unnamed pond north of Chappaqua to Getty Square in Yonkers, where it empties into the Hudson as that river's southernmost tributary. It is the only major stream in southern Westchester County to drain into the Hudson instead of Long Island Sound. It drains an area of 26.5 square miles (69 km2), most of it heavily developed suburbia. For 16 miles (26 km), it flows parallel to the Saw Mill River Parkway, a commuter artery, an association that has been said to give the river an "identity crisis."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers Avenue</span> Highway in New York

Yonkers Avenue is an east–west street in the city of Yonkers in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. It is one of four major east–west through routes in the city. The western terminus of the street is at Nepperhan Avenue, which connects to U.S. Route 9 (US 9) and New York State Route 9A (NY 9A). Its eastern terminus is at Bronx River Road near the Bronx River Parkway. The entirety of Yonkers Avenue is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation as New York State Route 983C from Nepperhan Avenue to the Saw Mill River Parkway and New York State Route 984E from the Saw Mill Parkway to Bronx River Road. Both are unsigned reference route designations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Avenue Railway</span> New York streetcar system (closed 1952)

The Third Avenue Railway System (TARS), founded 1852, was a streetcar system serving the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx along with lower Westchester County. For a brief period of time, TARS also operated the Steinway Lines in Long Island City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Spano</span> American politician

Mike Spano is an American politician who serves as the 42nd mayor of Yonkers, New York. He is a member of the Democratic Party. A former Republican, he served as a member of the New York State Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Heart High School (Yonkers, New York)</span> Private, co-educational school in Yonkers, , New York, United States

Sacred Heart High School is an American co-educational private, Roman Catholic high school in Yonkers, New York. It is in the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It is the only Catholic high school in Yonkers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers Public Library</span>

The Yonkers Public Library in Yonkers, New York, consists of three branch libraries. The main branch is the 'Yonkers Riverfront Library' which overlooks the Hudson River and New Jersey Palisades. Yonkers Riverfront Library is located in one of the former Otis Elevator buildings and it is across the street from the Yonkers train station. The new main library was opened in 2002, contains an area of 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) and 4 stories.

John E. Flynn was an American politician a from New York. He served as the 31st Mayor of Yonkers from 1961 to 1966. He then was elected to the New York State Senate from 1967 to 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Post Office (Yonkers, New York)</span> United States historic place

The U.S. Post Office for Yonkers, New York, is located on Main Street downtown, opposite the city's train station. It is a two-story stone building erected in the late 1920s. It is located in the 10702 ZIP Code, but serves the entire city, which has other ZIP codes between 10701 and 10710. In 1989 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with many other historic post offices in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonkers Trolley Barn</span> United States historic place

The former Yonkers Trolley Barn is located on Main Street in Yonkers, New York, United States. It is a massive steel frame brick building in the Renaissance Revival style built at the beginning of the 20th century. In 2002 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the last remaining trolley barn in Westchester County and the only remnant of Yonkers' trolley system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delavan Terrace Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

The Delavan Terrace Historic District is located along the street of that name in Northwest Yonkers, New York, United States. It consists of 10 buildings, all houses. In 1983 it was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site</span> Historic house in New York, United States

Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site is a historic house museum located in the Getty Square neighborhood of Yonkers, New York. Originally the family seat of Philipse Manor, it is Westchester County's second oldest standing building after the Timothy Knapp House. Located near the Hudson River at Warburton Avenue and Dock Street, it is owned and operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The YoHo Artist Community works out of two of the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District buildings, located at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue in Yonkers, New York. This population of artists and crafters has grown to more than 80 working artists since 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Mayer</span> American politician

Shelley Mayer is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the New York State Senate representing the 37th Senate District, which includes portions of Westchester County. Formerly a member of the New York State Assembly, Mayer was first elected in a special election in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Smith (American politician)</span> American politician

Alexander Smith was a Yonkers, New York, businessman and political figure who founded the Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Company and won election to the United States House of Representatives but died hours after being informed of his victory.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Flynn, Rosalie (1986). The Carpet Shop: A History of the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company in Yonkers, NY. Purchase, NY: Manhattanville College. p. 31.
  3. An Industry Moves South, Reader's Digest, March, 1956
  4. Flynn, Rosalie (1986). The Carpet Shop: A History of the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company in Yonkers, NY. Purchase, NY: Manhattanville College. pp. 28, 47.
  5. "A History of the Alexander Smith and Sons' Carpet Company, the Moquette Rows, and the Contributions of the Smith and Cochran Families to the City Of Yonkers and its People". Victorian Source.com. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  6. Karen Morey Kennedy and Austin N. O'Brien (April 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Registration:Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation . Retrieved January 1, 2011.See also: "Accompanying 31 photos".
  7. New York: A Guide to the Empire State (1940) , p. 374, at Google Books
  8. Flynn, Rosalie (1986). The Carpet Shop: A History of the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company in Yonkers, NY. Purchase, NY: Manhattanville College. p. 25.
  9. Fallon, Bill (March 3, 2008). "Industrial Arts: Carpet Mills Become Studio Central". Westchester County Business Journal. p. 49.
  10. "Yonkers Carpet Mills Arts District poised to become major destination thanks to approved zoning". YonkersNY.gov. Yonkersny.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  11. Singer, Penny. "In Big Factory, Small Businesses Prosper". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  12. Golden, John (August 25, 2014). "Arts District Avant-Garde". Westchester County Business Journal. Vol. 50, no. 34. p. 6. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  13. Golden, John (April 4, 2011). "In Yonkers, More Room for the Creative" (PDF). Westchester Business Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  14. "Yonkers Mayor Spano Proposes Historic Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Site to be Designated as an Arts District". YonkersNY.gov. YonkersNY.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  15. Spano, Mike. "Yonkers Carpet Mills Arts District poised to become major destination thanks to approved zoning". YonkersNY.gov. Yonkers, New York. Retrieved February 19, 2019.