AMERBELLE MILL

Vernon, CT

Alongside a multi-disciplinary team, Ryan Associates helped develop plans to convert the 19th-century Amerbelle Mill, in Vernon, Connecticut, into a contemporary mixed-use project. The new vision for this former textile manufacturing site includes housing, galleries, retail, restaurants, and outdoor community spaces.  

In the 150-plus years from the end of the Civil War until its closure in 2012, Amerbelle was a robust facility with a half dozen buildings, one of which spans the Hockanum River and Waterfall. The mill produced textiles for multiple industries and is most famous for its aerospace contributions, most notably the parachute for NASA’s Mars Pathfinder Rover.  

The primary challenge for the design team was to create accessible routes through the steep site. The proposed plan calls for a series of plazas linked with public elevators that help negotiate the significant grade changes. 

In addition to developing the site plan, Ryan Associates also produced a phasing strategy, which proposes additional parking, buildings, and open spaces to be established over time.