One of the open units at The Residences at Mill 8.
Reminder Publishing photo by G. Michael Dobbs
LUDLOW — In the middle of a ceremony celebrating the successful renovation of Building 8 of the Ludlow Mills into 95 units of senior housing, something happened that for many attending is a signal for the property’s renewal. The clock tower, a symbol of Ludlow, not only tells time once more but chimed loudly at noon.
The group of residents and officials clearly were pleased the 123-year-old clock tower was functional once more. The tower underwent a complete restoration as the mill itself.
The mill complex has now two residential areas as well as being the home for Iron Duke Brewing. Bought in 2011 by Westmass Area Development Corporation, according to the town of Ludlow’s website. “Constructed between the 1870s and the 1920s, most of the mill buildings located along State Street were built by the Ludlow Manufacturing Associates when operations were at its peak. The complex includes a total of 66 buildings on 170 acres of land adjacent to the Chicopee River. The four brick manufacturing building on State Street contain over 930,000 square feet of finished space, with most of the upper-story spaces currently vacant. For this reason, this property is considered underutilized and prime for redevelopment.”
According to Adam Stein, executive vice present for Winn Development that spearheaded the project, the renovation “marks a new beginning for Mill 8.”
He recounted additional history. The Ludlow Mills produced jute and rope and was at its height in the 1920s. There were 28 acres of mills with three damns and the locomotives.
Mill 8 has nearly 40,000 square feet of commercial space, along with the 95 housing units and 147 parking spaces. Construction on the project began in July of 2023. The housing is for people aged 55 and older and are at various price points from affordable to market rate.
Stein added the building is already 100% leased.
The cost of the project was $43.2 million and funding came from a variety of sources including several tax credit programs as well as funds from both the state and the federal governments.
Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus said it is “critically important” to save and reuse historic building and that the project “really checks a lot of boxes.”
State Rep. Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) explained how the project came about through cooperation between local, state and the federal government. He explained the Ludlow Select Board had adopted zoning that allowed this project to move forward and that U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) had “unlocked “federal funding.
Mark Strange, Ludlow town administrator, said the project “really is the heartbeat of the town’s future,” and announced Tandem Bagels would be setting up a shop there.
Neal explained federal historic tax credits as well as low-income tax credits were used to help make the project possible. He added that brownfield funds from the Environmental Protection Agency had been used to clear up part of the property.
He called the project “really good, thoughtful renovations.”
