Pearl Steam Laundry: A Project to Transform a City
Partner highlight: Evansville, Indiana
In many cities across the country, old warehouses are being revitalized and transformed into beautiful, open spaces for offices, restaurants, storefronts, creative studios, and apartments. Post-industrial playgrounds are modernizing and flourishing with new development. Out with the old, in with the new re-use for the new economy. It’s a sustainable model, and one that has almost become cliche it is so widespread. The Midtown Exchange building in Minneapolis and Ponce City Market in Atlanta are examples of the impact that the revival of old buildings can have on an entire urban core.
However, many smaller cities across the country are not seeing the same revitalization of their industrial buildings. They are not reaping the benefits of large investment that their more urban counterparts enjoy. There is untapped potential in many of these small cities that could be unlocked with increased investment, opportunity, and innovation.
Evansville, Indiana is one of these small midwestern cities in the American Rust Belt with unrealized potential. The historic downtown is situated along the Ohio River with remnants of the old industry that once flourished.
Our partner, For Evansville, invited us to come out for a site visit a few weeks ago to take a look at a downtown building that is in the early stages of revitalization. It is an honor to be a part of their process. We strongly believe that in a small city like Evansville, this forward-thinking project has the potential to transform the city, bring new life to underused space, and increase common good exponentially. We could not be more excited!
We walked into the Pearl Steam Laundry building in downtown Evansville and were struck by the potential of the space. The large warehouse boasts high ceilings, exposed brick, and giant windows with light streaming into every corner. Rusty remnants of the old laundry facility are everywhere. One side of the building reads “Stables” in fading paint over old brick where the horses used to be kept. It’s a placemaker’s dream.
The owner and future anchor tenant of the building, Crosspointe Insurance, has decided to share their space. The stakeholders on the project are from multiple sectors, and are working together to cast vision for the space that will create intentional intersections for collaboration and common good in Evansville.
They have decided to dedicate ⅓ of the space to businesses, ⅓ to creative studios, and ⅓ to nonprofit collaboration. There is also potential for the space to be used for events, concerts, and food carts. One of the exterior walls is begging for a mural. Currently, there is no place like this in Evansville. In fact, there is not much space at all dedicated to creatives or nonprofits. The potential impact is huge.
This project could not be more aligned with the vision of Link2Lift. Different sectors are working together for the common good of their city. Developers are mindful of the opportunity to share space and create intentional intersections for community. Nonprofits will office together to reduce overhead, collaborate, and increase common good.
While the revitalization of industrial buildings and warehouses is common, it is rare to see it done in such a way that fits the character of the city, and the needs of the community so well. We are excited to see the impact of the Pearl Steam Laundry project. No doubt, it will bring new life and vitality to the space, but most importantly, to the people who live and work in Evansville.
