The factory closed its doors in 2005, and more than a decade later, nearly half of northeast Hartford lives below the poverty line and one-quarter are unemployed. In the midst of a major renovation, the Swift Factory hopes to mend these statistics. Areas for creative and entrepreneurial opportunities have been designated, but food production is the primary tenant because it offers jobs that are attainable for high school dropouts and ex–drug offenders. The architectural transformation focuses on repairing the neglected factory to its original character. New transparent windows have been installed in all openings, and, for the first time in decades, the Swift Factory is a cordial neighbor to northeast Hartford.
Boston Society for Architecture: Lost and Found
When a building’s original story line comes to a close, its next chapter must be written.
