Atrium Lofts

Conversion of historic shoe factory into mixed-income housing complex

After completing the Trolley Quarter Flats, the MSR  Design project team noticed an abandoned building next door with an interesting history. The Marathon Shoe Company East Side Plant was the best remaining representation of a leading industry in the City of Wausau in the first half of the 20th century. MSR Design provided analysis, guidance, and encouragement to preserve the historic factory, leading to its placement on the National Register of Historic Places by Preservation Design Works. Working with MetroPlains Development, we transformed the historic structure into market-rate and affordable housing. To retain the building’s character, the design team preserved the large volume, open floor plate, and few internal walls. The design enhances daylight throughout the space, using clerestory windows to fill the central volume and large windows in each unit.