For more than 20 years, the Western Knitting Mills site in downtown Rochester, Michigan went undeveloped due to challenges presented by environmental contaminants from past industrial uses, geotechnical issues, ongoing third-party liability responsibilities, and land use limitations. SME worked with a team deeply committed to the community to develop the Frank Rewold & Sons Headquarters. 

The site was first developed in about 1844 and quickly became a significant part of the city’s history. From the mid-1940s through about 1994, the site was occupied by various industrial manufacturing operations.

Frank Rewold & Sons, Inc. (FRS) acquired the property in 1997 and shortly thereafter restored a portion of the property into a brewpub and office building. The remaining portions of the property went unused until 2018 when FRS, a 100-year old Rochester based family business, found themselves rapidly growing and in need of a new building for the Frank Rewold & Sons headquarters.

Various larger greenfield sites were available elsewhere in Metro Detroit, but the historical significance of the site they committed to more than 20 years earlier made it an obvious place to continue their own legacy.

FRS stayed true to their roots and continued their dedication to the community by developing this site for the Frank Rewold & Sons headquarters. FRS met the project challenges with the support of a strong team: FRS, SME, Auger Klein Aller Architects (AKA), Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), and the City of Rochester to overcome hurdles and develop practical design solutions to construct a new 49,000 square-foot, 5-story leading edge office building overlooking the scenic Paint Creek.