According to CJS Architects, the firm has been selected to provide creative and innovative design solutions for the National Women's Hall of Fame. Using a phased plan, the project will address the design of the interior fit out for the mill structure, and design a 3,500 s/f visitor's center addition while maintaining the historic integrity of the building and site.
Completed in 1844, the historic mill building sits on the Cayuga-Seneca branch of the Erie Canal in the heart of Seneca Falls. A prominent feature within a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this heavy timber-framed and limestone structure was an operational woolen mill until 1999. The adaptive reuse of the structure is vital to the immediate surrounding community and will also serve as a reminder that women were the majority workers during its active years.
CJS will develop a cohesive site plan that enhances the visitor's overall experience while taking into account the site's relationship to the canal and the Fall St. area of Seneca Falls. The firm will also design an iconic interior for the first floor of the mill, intended to set the stage for the future expansion to the second, third and fourth floors. They will also design a historically compatible building intended to ultimately become the Hall's main entrance, which will include space for large groups to gather and orient them to the exhibit spaces. This new space is also envisioned as a comprehensive introduction to the favorable experience visitors will have in the museum. Tags: