Bloomington Christens ‘Beating Heart’ of Innovation
Payne talked about Bloomington's innovation focus on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAfter nearly a decade of work, city and technology leaders in Bloomington have unveiled a coworking space they believe can be a catalyst for jobs and wage growth. The Mill is coworking and flexible office space that is envisioned as the hub for Bloomington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is located in the historic former Showers Brothers Company furniture factory and will serve as the anchor for the Trades District, Bloomington’s certified technology park. "The Mill is the beating heart of the Trades District…it’s going to generate startups, it’s going to create wonderful activity," said Brian Payne, Bloomington’s assistant director for economic and sustainable development. "The Trades District is an area we see for mixed-use development, for high density commercial space where companies and ideas that come out of The Mill can graduate and grow into bigger space and create jobs and wealth in Bloomington."
In an interview for this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Payne talked about the importance of Bloomington’s focus on innovation.
Nonprofit Dimension Mill Inc. transformed the former Showers Brothers Company furniture factory in downtown Bloomington into 19,000 square feet of space it calls an innovation hub, featuring coworking and flexible office space as well as an event venue.
The historic facility, which at one time was billed as the world’s largest furniture factory, dates back to 1910 and served as the main plant for Showers Brothers, a dominant residential furniture maker. In the 1920s it was estimated that Showers Brothers produced 60 percent of the furniture manufactured in the United States.