Plans are underway for a major renovation at The Factory at Franklin. The renovations, set to begin in 2022, will create a curated shopping, dining and entertainment experience into which modern offices have been woven to create a sort of New Urbanist version of fun – where the community itself is as much a draw as the location. Located within walking distance from nationally-recognized Main Street, tourists and locals will soon have another reason to frequent this historic town, which itself is one of the most charming in the nation.
This new visioning of The Factory will bring an upscale second life to an already iconic and beloved location built in 1929. The complex comprises 10 industrial structures that were built over The Factory’s history.
The early ones were constructed for stove manufacturer Allen Manufacturing Co., the company that originally operated in the buildings. Later additions on the 20-acre complex were constructed by a succession of manufacturers.
Over the years, a kind of miniature city has slowly taken shape at the The Factory, informing the new owner’s vision in creating a destination for dining, entertainment, office work, business meetings and civic events. With stores and restaurants not found anywhere else in Franklin, or, even, in Nashville, visitors will enjoy a completely new, elevated shopping and dining experience – the perfect work/play environment – not just stores, top-tier dining and chic offices, but alleys filled with art, green spaces to simply relax and wander, a theatre, live shows and more.
The Nashville office of Holladay Properties, led by Allen Arender, purchased The Factory with plans to bring a new work and play option to Franklin. Joining Holladay Properties in the redevelopment is Mr. Arender’s long-time development partner Ronnie Wenzler, an executive director of Cushman & Wakefield. Mr. Arender and Mr. Wenzler have considerable experience developing historic structures like The Factory and will update the current space while keeping its historic charm.
“We are about a year away from welcoming everyone to the new Factory,” Mr. Arender said. “This is a long-term project. As Middle Tennesseans, we want what is best for our community, and that means taking time to do it right. Our vision is to create the preeminent mixed-use hub for Franklin, Williamson County and southern Middle Tennessee that will draw visitors from throughout the region and the nation.”
Purchased for $56 million, the new owners and are investing much more into the former stove factory to create what they believe will be a national model for adaptive re-use of early 20th Century industrial structures.
“The Factory is a large canvas and superlative. It’s exactly the kind of building we have cut our teeth on, a former industrial campus with beautiful bones. With some thoughtful polish and a lot of energy it will be translated into attractive, highly functional contemporary space with a historic vibe that is impossible to create in new buildings,” Mr. Wenzler said.
The developers are looking at this project like creating a little city – with plazas, courtyards, alleys, nooks and other places to gather. They also plan to open up the space so visitors can see the bones of the structures and feel how the 10 buildings relate to each other to create a unique environment.
“The Factory will be a place you can work at all day and then meet your spouse and kids for dinner and a show,” Mr. Wenzler continued. “And what makes it like nowhere else is that the energy of this newly reimagined little city will be just a short walk from one of the most charming small downtowns in America: Franklin, Tennessee.”