Worcester Business Journal

14 Worcester Business Journal | January 24, 2022 | wbjournal.com F O C U S C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S T A T E N ew England's iconic brick factory buildings tell a bittersweet story. ese once bustling industrial hubs employed generations of factory workers and formed the backbone of local towns. As labor became cheaper and more accessible overseas, domestic manufacturing fell, leaving vacant mills in their wake. e closing of these iconic manufacturers not only impacted the local job market, but le a void in their communities. Southbridge was once home to the American Optical Co., the world's largest optical manufacturer. During its heyday, the plant produced 2 million pairs of glasses, employed more than 4,000 locals, and founded revolutionary technology used by NASA, the military, and fans of aviator sunglasses. Founded in 1883, the AO was entrenched in the town's every day function for more than 100 years until its production moved to Mexico in 1992. rough his long-term vision and decades of hard work, Charles "Chip" Norton, managing director of Franklin Realty Advisors LLC in Wellesley, has breathed new life into the once boarded up buildings by developing them into Southbridge Innovation Center. "You see it transforming into something new, having a second chance so to speak. I think that means alot to the community," said Southbridge Town Manager Michael McCall about the improvements unfolding at the Southbridge Innovation Center. The center Located at 14 Mechanic St., the Southbridge Innovation Center is a 150-acre campus comprising 14 buildings and the Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center. e scope of the development is huge, featuring 1.2 million square feet. In the late 1990s, Norton was brought on to the Innovation Center as the general manager. From the onset of the project, Norton knew the buildings would need to be repurposed. During the 1900s, the American Optical manufacturing plants had production lines of different floors of the buildings. rough new regulations and changing workspace preferences, Norton understood modern manufacturers favored open spaces situated on one level. As a result, the campus was designed with mixed-use purposes at the forefront. Each building was specifically designed for multiple functions as demonstrated by the Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center, which is not only a hotel, but houses training facilities used by entities such as the U.S. Department of Defense. One of the main purposes of the center is to provide the community with affordable housing. In 2016, the property was designated on the National Register of Historic Places, and the subsequent historic tax credits allowed the residential housing project to be economically viable. e housing project known as Southbridge Mills is redeveloping the buildings on Case Street. e first phase of development will create 48 housing units while the second building will establish 127 units. While the historic designation helped fund the housing project, Norton was restricted on how the buildings could be altered, which led to creative strategizing. "It was a challenge meeting the market demands without changing the buildings," he said. e campus is already leasing space to businesses, including MassHire Southbridge Career Center, Stonebridge Press, Quinsigamond Community College, endoscopy manufacturer Karl Storz, semiconductor manufacturer Cleanpart, and manufacturer Element Precision. e center utilizes its own power plant, with a cogeneration facility providing power to 70% of the campus. In December, the plant was sold to Ram e Southbridge Innovation Center seeks to tie the town's historic past to a future enticing to new residents, old residents, and businesses BY SLOANE M. PERRON WBJ Staff Writer Wave of the future Developer Charles "Chip" Norton has tried to preserve the historic legacy of American Optical Co. while turning the Southbridge Innovation Center into a viable modern facility. PHOTO | EDD COTE

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