Hotchkiss Brothers Factory Complex

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Photo courtesy of Loop.net The One That Got Away: A Lumber Mill, Some Idiots, and a Call I Don't Regret Some stories don't have a satisfying ending. This is one of them. And I've been carrying it around long enough that I just need to put it down somewhere. J and I drove out to Torrington on what should have been a straightforward documentation run in 2023. The target was the former Hotchkiss Brothers Lumber Mill on Water Street, sitting on the east bank of the Naugatuck River. We scoped it on the way in, circled the block, found our parking spot, and liked what we saw. Entry looked manageable. The building looked intact enough to be worth the effort. We were ready. We crossed through the Stop & Shop parking lot in the full summer heat, shoppers drifting past us with their carts, completely indifferent. We clambered over a wall, pushed through branches that swatted us in the face, and followed the sound of the Naugatuck moving over rocks somewhere below. The grass...
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From Shoe Manufacturing to Music Studios: A Factory’s Past








On May 20, 2024, a 117-year-old former factory building experienced a partial collapse of its roof parapet, damaging five parked cars. The five-story building, vacant for two years, has been a concern for the local community, especially since scaffolding went up in 2022. Residents reported issues with the building’s condition since then.


The roof parapet, now wrapped in plastic as a temporary measure, is awaiting further repairs. This isn’t the first time the building has had trouble. In 2022, the Department of Buildings fined the property owner $6,250 after part of the facade parapet fell onto the sidewalk, signaling ongoing structural problems.










When the collapse occurred, over 100 firefighters responded to what they classified as a "major collapse matrix." This type of response involves both building experts and medical teams to assess the situation. Fortunately, no one was injured, and no one was trapped inside the building, which remains unoccupied.


The Department of Buildings has since ordered the owner to hire an engineer and complete a thorough inspection of the building to ensure its safety moving forward.





Over the years, the 117-year-old building has housed a variety of businesses, each contributing to the area's rich history. Some notable tenants included Elkay Brassiere Company Inc., which specialized in brassieres and girdles, and Horn Shoe Manufacturing Company, alongside other shoe companies like Rialto Shoe Manufacturer Company Inc. and Stuttgart Footwear, Inc. There was also S. Munich & Company, known for its real rock crystal cut glass, and D and E Steel Corporation.


Beyond manufacturing, the building also welcomed creative ventures such as Kyme Music, Vinyl Connect Inc., MetroSonic Studios, Aberdeen Building Consulting, and the Roebling Tea Room restaurant.








One business that stands out in particular is the Benzer Auto Corporation. During its time, Benzer retailed glare lights for $3.50 a pair. These lights were designed to provide good distance visibility and strong side lighting, a crucial feature during a period when car lights were far less advanced than today's LED headlights. Driving at night was riskier back then, and Benzer's no-glare lens lights aimed to reduce accidents in low-light conditions.


Benzer also produced rear-view wind deflectors, made from heavy plate glass and priced at $25. These deflectors were installed at the corners of a car’s windshield, where small mirrors helped deflect wind away from passengers, making for a more comfortable ride.


As of September 2024, the building remains unrepaired, with the owner, 143 Roebling Pref Investor, slow to address the significant violations following the partial roof parapet collapse. Despite the Department of Buildings’ orders and the visible damage, no substantial repairs have been made, leaving the structure in continued neglect. Residents and passersby can still see the scaffolding and temporary plastic covering the parapet, while the owner delays resolving the building's long-standing safety issues.








Sources:



1. The Corset and Underwear Review. (1927). United States: Haire Publishing Company. p.58

2. Automobile Trade Journal. (1920). United States: Chilton Company. p.530, 555, 563

3. Motor Land. (1921). United States: (p.48). 

4. Automobile Dealer and Repairer: A Practical Journal Exclusively for These Interests. (1920). United States: Motor Vehicle Publishing Company. p.67

5. Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Bulletin. (1920). United States p.5

6.  Boot and Shoe Recorder. (1910). United States: Chilton Company. p.316

7. Automobile Trade Journal. (1920). United States: Chilton Company. p.307

8. Brooklyn building that had partial collapse has history of problem. ABC7 New York.

9. Rama, K. (2024, May 20). Roof of 100-year-old vacant factory partially collapses in Brooklyn: FDNY.  Yahoo News.

10. (n.a). (2024, May 20). Building in Williamsburg has second partial collapse of roof in two years. abc7.

11. Leather and Shoes Blue Book of the Shoe and Leather Industry. (1925). United States: Rumpf Publishing Company. p.619.

12. Aldama, A. (2024, May 30). Parapet Falls on Hope. North Brooklyn News. 

Location: 143 Roebling St, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA

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