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22-735: The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District buildings originally housed the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company. The entire complex consisted of 38 acres with more than 40 buildings. Alexander Smith and Sons was in operation in Yonkers . During the Great Depression , it was agreed that employees' hours would be cut, but jobs were not. In the mid-1950s, the Yonkers plant shut down entirely; an estimated 5,000 workers were without jobs. The stronghold along Nepperhan Avenue and

44-545: A $ 500,000 capital grant to be used for further development, including building improvements, landscaping, signage, and lighting. With the formation of this arts district, Yonkers, New York and the supporters of this project see a future as a public arts destination. According to Yonkers Deputy Planning Commissioner Louis Albano, " It was decided to take advantage of some of the artisans in the area and create this district to allow them two things - to show their wares and to open galleries that would be ancillary and complementary to

66-473: A change that was approved by the City of Yonkers under Mayor Mike Spano on April 5, 2016. In April 2015, Mayor Mike Spano announced the proposal of Carpet Mills Arts District (CMAD). He hosted a ribbon-cutting for the recently named district as a kick-off for Yonkers Arts Weekend the following month, the success of which was attributed to the collaboration of city officials, building owners Huang and Rose, and

88-794: A loom known as the Axminster power loom (also known as the Moquette Loom), which revolutionized the production of carpets. A patent for this loom was created in 1877 and royalty rights were sold to European and American companies at the rate of twenty cents per yard of carpet produced. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Today, members of the YoHo Artist Community work out of two of buildings, located at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue. The Carpet Mills Arts District in Yonkers, New York

110-486: A shop in West Farms for making looms and carpets. The shop caught fire and was rebuilt, and after a second fire in 1864 Smith reestablished his business in Yonkers. His business prospered, especially after he invented a loom suitable for weaving fine carpets, which other carpet makers used under licensing agreements with Smith, and his two factories eventually employed more than 3,000 people. A Republican , in 1878 he

132-498: Is a national historic district located at Yonkers , Westchester County, New York . It includes 85 contributing buildings. It encompasses 19 stylistically varied mill buildings and six rows of workers' housing. They were developed between 1871 and 1930 in the vicinity of northeastern Getty Square along the banks of the Saw Mill River . The main mill building was originally built in 1871 and expanded between 1876 and 1883. It

154-599: Is a three-story, rectangular building, 52 bays wide and five bays deep in the Second Empire style. It features a four-story tower and a five-story tower. The workers' housing, known as Moquette Row, North and South, was built between 1881 and 1886. Many workers that lived in this housing originally were immigrants to the United States. They came from Scotland, Ireland, and Ukraine. The carpet works were developed by Alexander Smith (1818-1878) The company closed

176-410: Is displayed. Those areas, as well as the private studios, use the buildings' 14–16-foot ceilings. The community has earned recognition from New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins . State Senator Stewart-Cousins deemed April 18, 2009, to be "YoHo Artist Studios Day". The mayor of the city of Yonkers, Phil Amicone , issued a dedicated day to the community as well. In early 2011, the owners began

198-531: The National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior in 1983. In 1986, Debra Sherwood was looking for an artist loft space. She was a sculptor relocating from Seattle to New York City. Industrial building floors for rent were advertised by Yonkers Industrial Development Corporation. After contacting the realtor, Sherwood agreed to lease the fifth floor of

220-618: The Saw Mill River , and within the Yonkers community, was suddenly empty. With the deindustrialization of cities came the abandonment of buildings. In this case, most of the 40-building complex stood empty for nearly 20 years. The two loft buildings that house the YoHo community were purchased in 1978 by Allan Eisenkraft of Yonkers Industrial Development Corporation, who spent a total of about $ 4.5 million in renovations . The buildings were then rented out to small businesses. The lower floors still operate in this manner. The buildings were listed on

242-625: The Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Company and won election to the United States House of Representatives but died hours after being informed of his victory. Alexander Smith was born in Mercer County, New Jersey , on October 14, 1818. He was raised on his family's farm, educated in New Jersey , and moved with his family to West Farms, New York , in 1834. Smith became interested in manufacturing, and in 1844 established

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264-609: The YOHO Artist Community. Developers managed and carefully grew the community through the use of events and promotion of the community until it grew from 25 to 85 artists over eight years, and the artist trend spread to other sections of the Mills owned by other developers. The developers collaborated through events and lobbying Yonkers City Officials to form the Carpet Mills Artists District -

286-459: The Yonkers mills and relocated to Greenville, Mississippi , in 1954. At the time of its closing, there were 2,400 who worked at the carpet mill. At the time of World War II , there was 7,000 employees who worked at the mill. It was later absorbed into Mohawk Carpet, later Mohasco Corporation . The carpet weaving industry was revolutionized by looms invented in this plant by Alexander Smith and Halcyon Skinner . Skinner, an engineer, designed

308-489: The building. She named the space YoHo Studios for "Yonkers above Houston ". YoHo studios had four open studio events before 1991. In the early 1990s, artists began to occupy the Westchester artist studios located within the former Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company Mills. Among the artists that rent or have rented space at YoHo are producers of murals , collages , sculptures , mixed media , and portraits . While

330-471: The crafts that they produce in their shops, but also to create restaurant space to create more visitors and foot traffic into the area." He further describes the arts district as "our little baby Soho going on in the Nepperhan Valley." Alexander Smith (New York) Alexander Smith (October 14, 1818 – November 5, 1878) was a Yonkers, New York , businessman and political figure who founded

352-484: The creation of 25 new spaces that would occupy a fourth-floor wing. By early 2014, all spaces were occupied, along with the original 50+ studios at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue. In early 2014, the owners and developers of YoHo began collaborating with proprietors of neighboring buildings of the historic carpet mills to create Yonkers's first official arts district. Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District

374-455: The district would see future growth as restaurants, boutiques, galleries, retail shops, and a higher number of artists would be encouraged to move into the area. On April 5, 2016, Mayor Mike Spano approved the zoning change that would allow the area to operate as a formal arts district, and officiated a legislative signing ceremony on May 12, with Councilman Sabatino, George Huang, and Randolph Rose participating. The district has been awarded

396-404: The growing numbers of local artists in the area. Similar events had been happening at YOHO for many years, with the artist community inviting the public to their popular Annual Open Studios event. The Open Studios paved the way for a more widespread event that would branch out to other locations in Yonkers. The mayor noted with the proposed zoning change that coincided with the creation of CMAD,

418-476: The population is made up of primarily visual artists, specifically painters, there has also been a sculptor, a tattoo artist, and a former member of the Orange County Choppers , a creator of custom motorcycle graphics. During the scheduled "open studio" events, members allow the community access to their private studios. The Great Hall on the fifth floor is a gallery-like space where the artwork

440-425: The west, extending to Saw Mill River Road to the east, encompassing the following buildings: Early creative industry and artist activity in the area dates back decades ago, with a few tenants working out of the factory buildings as early as the 1980s. When private developers acquired two buildings at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue in 2005, there were 25 artists working out of the Mills. This group grew to become to

462-642: Was formalized in March 2016 when the City Council cast a unanimous vote in favor of its approval. City Mayor Mike Spano subsequently signed the legislation on April 5, 2016. The arts district occupies the former carpet mills factory buildings located in the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District. Its boundaries lie from Lake Avenue to the north and Ashburton Avenue to the south, and to Nepperhan Avenue to

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484-512: Was the party's nominee for Congress in New York's 12th District . He became ill on election day, and died just a few hours after being informed that he had won. Smith died in Yonkers on November 5, 1878. He was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Yonkers. His company continued to operate, and through successive mergers eventually moved to Mississippi as part of Mohawk Industries . The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Historic District in Yonkers

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