The Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory
Since 2008, Hudson River Housing has been a cornerstone of community building. Starting with the Middle Main Initiative, this nonprofit sought to improve the lives of City of Poughkeepsie residents and the community as a whole. In 2012, the opportunity to create a tangible expression of hope came in the form of the National Historic Site, The Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory.
With a lofty goal to revitalize the middle main corridor in Poughkeepsie, Hudson River Housing leveraged existing community relationships and resources to redevelop The Underwear Factory into a mixed-use facility for housing, retail and community programs. Today, the building is a community hub which provides education, entertainment, jobs and training programs that are enriching the neighborhood while strengthening the local economy.
A creative hub and breeding ground for new business, The Underwear Factory houses The Art Effect, flex studio space operated by Mid-Hudson Heritage Center, 15 loft apartments, the Poughkeepsie Open Kitchen- Poughkeepsie’s first community, commercial kitchen, and two local start-ups, North River Roasters and 2019 Innovation Challenge Semi-Finalist Earth, Wind and Fuego. Additionally, more than a dozen food entrepreneurs are now closer to launching start-ups of their own thanks to the ability of the organization to connect all of its arms to create opportunity at the local level.
The 2017 Think Dutchess Non-Profit of the Year award winner at the Business Excellence Awards has helped spark the energy bubbling over in this city on the go. Attracting business, talent, entrepreneurs and building community spirit, Hudson River Housing and The Underwear Factory continue to propel development in our region.
