Nockege River Mill building - Fitchburg, MA

Fitchburg, MA Colantonio Inc. is deep into its gut renovation of the historic Nockege River Mill building, near downtown, for the 96-unit Fitchburg Yarn Lofts.

The 100-year-old former home of the Fitchburg Yarn Company sits on 7.5 acres on the banks of the Nashua River. Its 182,500 s/f of space span three floors and will feature 57 market rate units, 39 affordable units, community space and many exposed brick walls. The building boasts more than 280 8’ x 10’ windows to provide each unit with expansive views and plenty of natural light.

Given that the original design allowed river water to flow through the mill’s partial earthen basement, Colantonio’s crew must remove the first floor and rebuild it with concrete slab at least two feet above the 100-year floodplain. Other restoration work includes repointing and repairing the exterior brick envelope and chimneystack and structural reinforcement to the roof.

“The progress we’re making on this project demonstrates exactly why Colantonio was the best choice for construction manager,” said Adam Stein, senior vice president for owner WinnDevelopment. “Transforming this landmark building to make it suitable for quality housing is not an easy task, and we are staying on time and on budget.”

According to historical reports, the original mill was built in just five months at a cost of $600,000 using a unique wood and steel I-beam configuration. Building materials included two million bricks, one million board feet of lumber, 500 tons of steel, 7,000 tons of granite, 18 freight car loads of cement and 2,000 barrels of lime.

The project, which was designed by The Architectural Team, is scheduled for completion in May 2017.

Holliston-based Colantonio Inc. provides award-winning construction management and general contracting services in the academic, affordable housing, commercial, municipal and historical restoration markets.