In 2006, AMP purchased two former mill buildings and three surrounding acres on Whiting Street in Winsted, Connecticut, a town with a history of work the mural honors. Extensive cleanup of the property was made possible through a Federal Brownfields grant, allowing for the next three phases of renovation to occur.

The State of Connecticut provided $1 Million in matching funds for the first phase of renovations, enabling AMP to renovate the first of two mill buildings it owns. The first phase included raising the roof 25 feet to allow for the installation of the nearly five-story mural and enabled the arts center to open for education programs and tours on the first level of the mural building. The next phase of renovations added an elevator, three sets of stairs, two levels of viewing platforms and railings, a new entryway, and expanded the education program space to meet growing demand.

There’s more work to come! The next expansion of the AMP campus includes renovating the second mill building, which sits behind the mural building, to create a Visitor and Education Center—with a café, flexible program space, retail store, and a theater—and the addition of an atrium to connect the two buildings. This phase of capital improvements will allow AMP to expand programming, including lectures, rotating exhibits, classes, and workshops for varying ages, as well as community events. And it will offer greater opportunities for groups and individuals interested in renting the space for meetings and events.