Oliver Emerson Development, a father-son duo, wants to turn the former Rockford Watch Co. factory in Rockford, Illinois, into affordable housing.
“To be able to do it with my father and be able to contribute back to my city, it’s a no-brainer,” said Oliver Emerson Jr.
Emerson Junior loves to tell the story of finding an old plan for 325 South Madison Street in his dad’s office. Emerson Senior had looked into the watch factory project but it did not pan out.
Despite his father’s doubts, Emerson Junior tried to make the numbers work.
“My father was able to get me in front of the mayor and the city administrator and say, ‘Hey, my son’s annoying me. Can you please tell him that this won’t work?’ And the mayor sat back and was like, No, I think we can do this,” said Emerson Junior.
Emerson Development wants to turn the building into 24 apartment units and add solar electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
With Emerson Junior’s brother in the EV industry, the project is a family affair. Their priorities are affordable housing and keeping the factory’s history in the Art Deco aesthetic.
“That’s mandatory. I think that anyone taking on this project would have to do that.
One of our architects who worked on the project with us, his father worked in the factory,” said Emerson Junior. “He said, ‘I remember being a little boy with mom picking dad up from work in the same building.’ To know that we’re preserving it. It was just like, okay, we’re doing the right thing here.”
The duo’s other project on N. Main will have a more modern style, with 14 apartment units and retail space on the first floor.
“Being here for 39 years of my life… it’s very important, even for my father and I to make sure that we didn’t bring a nationally known tenant,” said Emerson Junior.”
Emerson Junior is excited about these projects, the support they have received from the community and working with his father.
“The things that he’s instilled in me about community development, I’m here to take on those things…hopefully my children will do the same thing,” said Emerson Junior.
Emerson Junior said there is a lot more coming. The full council will vote on both projects in May.
