The historic Franklin Building in downtown Watertown, New York sat vacant for 10 years. Built in 1905, it was originally a shopping arcade, but also held office spaces, and apartments. Then, in 1919, it was remodeled into the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). They added an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, and residential rooms. Although they kept the building active for many years, eventually it fell into decline.
It was closed in 1997 and sold. In 2001 it was in disrepair and demolition loomed on the horizon. This structure, long a mainstay of Watertown’s Franklin Street, needed some serious help.
Luckily, a local nonprofit organization, the Neighbors of Watertown (NOW) stepped in to protect it. Working with the Watertown Local Development Corporation and Grow America, they formed a partnership to rehabilitate the building and turn it into something new and critically needed: affordable housing and commercial space.
So we’re on the positive side of momentum and some exciting changes for downtown
Brian H. Murray
Counder and CEO of Washington Street Properties
“Watertown is the largest city in the north country. And downtown Watertown is the financial and governmental hub of the north country, and it’s important,” said Donald W. Rutherford, CEO of the Watertown Local Development Corporation, speaking on the northernmost portion of New York State.
Jefferson County, where Watertown is the county seat, has seen a boon in such revitalizations of its urban centers. Hundreds of millions of dollars have flooded in since the 2008 recession that caused damage to the region (more on this resurgence is available here).
Working together, NOW and its partners were able to rehabilitate the building. It reopened in March of 2011. The hope with such projects is that they will have a “snowball effect,” as Brian H. Murray, founder and CEO of Washington Street Properties, put it. In 2013, he and his company worked on the Top of the Square mini-mall, bringing more commercial and rental properties to the area.
“A growing population downtown will make it more feasible for businesses to open and do well in downtown,” said Mr. Murray.
The Franklin Building, once a vacant three-story building, was turned into 16 low-income housing apartments and approximately 13,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space. The $7.8 Million project used historic rehabilitation tax credits and low-income housing tax credits to help finance the project.
Since this was an adaptive reuse project, each apartment has a unique design. There are four studio apartments averaging over 500 sq. ft. per unit, six one-bedrooms averaging 688 sq. ft. per unit, and six two-bedrooms averaging over 1100 sq. ft. per unit. Each apartment has combined living and dining rooms with wall-to-wall carpeting, a full bath, and a walk-in kitchen with all necessary appliances.
Now, the Franklin Building is an exciting part of the Public Square Historic District of Watertown, which is listed on both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
“So we’re on the positive side of momentum and some exciting changes for downtown,” said Mr. Murray.
This hub of Jefferson County is seeing growth and new energy through such changes, but always with a focus on protecting its history. The Franklin Building has gained new life, and is supporting the community once again.
From the ground
The Franklin Building is an exciting part of the Public Square Historic District of Watertown, which is listed on both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
