Collinsville Redevelopment Company
Collinsville Redevelopment Company (CRC) was established to revitalize the historic Collins Company Axe Factory site in Canton. CRC values the historic character of the factory and town, and believes a rehabilitated site will catalyze growth in Collinsville, and in Canton more broadly. Currently, we are working on various state and local approvals, and will update this site as things progress.
Photo Credit: James Tilney
OUR GOAL
Our goal is to rehabilitate the site and strengthen the connection to Collinsville Main Street and the Farmington River. CRC is proposing to renovate many of the existing buildings and waterways, and to add new residential units, offering upgraded space to existing and new tenants while enhancing the extraordinary character of the site. We hope to keep many of our current tenants and to attract new businesses with a mix of retail, office, restaurant, cultural, and light industrial uses.
Photo Credit: James Tilney
Photo Credit: Kathy Taylor
ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE
Improved roads, parking and high-speed connectivity will bring the property into the 21st century, and the development will focus on sustainability and ADA access. The site will incorporate water catchment and treatment to enhance climate resiliency and ensure the Farmington River is protected. The Rails-to-Trails will be highlighted at the heart of the property.
THE VISION
CRC is leveraging our experience in architecture, finance and real estate development to reinvigorate the Collins Company property. Our hope is that the rehabilitation will support the economy of Collinsville, providing jobs, attracting visitors, and increasing Canton's tax revenue. CRC is actively engaged in securing the required approvals from local, state, and federal agencies as the first step in the eventual revitalization of the historic Collins Company Axe Factory.
Historic Buildings Renovated
Approximately 155,000 square feet of existing structures will be renovated, including brick, clapboard, corrugated metal and stone buildings.
Waterworks Repaired
Approximately 2,000 linear feet of waterworks, including culverts, canals and tailraces, will be repaired. The beautiful 'veil of water' that previously flowed from the forebay catch basin into the Farmington River will be restored.
New Housing Constructed
Three new residential buildings will be constructed on site, consisting of 224 apartments and 48 condominiums. The oldest building in the complex, the Granite Building (1846), will be renovated to provide an additional 18 condominium units.
HISTORY OF THE SITE
The Collins Company was founded in 1826 by Sam Collins to produce axes, machetes and steel edge tools of all kinds. The Company expanded its operations over time, adding to the campus of buildings as required. At the height of its operations, the Collins Company had 50 buildings on site and boasted a robust international trade.
The flood of 1955 destroyed a number of buildings, interrupted operations, and the company never fully recovered. The factory was shuttered in 1966. Since that time, there have been three owners who have rented space to artists, craftspeople, small businesses and light industrial operations.
In 1976, the site was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo Credit: Canton Historical Museum
The Team
Collinsville Redevelopment Company is the collaboration between sisters, Lisa and Merritt Tilney. Their father, Rusty Tilney, has been the long-time owner of the Axe Factory since 2002. CRC has an option to purchase the property after approvals have been secured. Having grown up in Bloomfield, the Tilneys are excited to work on a project close to home and hope to create a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood as part of their father's vision and legacy.
Lisa Tilney
In addition to her role as a partner in Collinsville Redevelopment Company, Lisa Tilney is a Managing Director of Sterling Project Development, responsible for the firm's Advisory practice. Lisa is trained as an architect, having worked for Gwathmey Siegel Architects, Thomas Phifer + Partners (both in New York City), and Barkow Leibinger in Berlin, Germany. She spent ten years as a project manager, developing in-depth experience overseeing design and construction of complex capital projects of various types, including industrial conversions, non-profit cultural institutions, residential development, and commercial interiors.
She started her career on Wall Street where she worked for the hedge fund, D.E. Shaw, and Orion Consultants.
Lisa received a Masters of Architecture from the Yale School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts with a degree in History from Yale University.
Merritt Tilney
In parallel with Collinsville Redevelopment Company, Merritt Tilney runs AMT Coaching, a leadership advisory consultancy. Merritt works with individuals and teams to take their performance to the next level. Merritt has developed and led numerous leadership development programs working in the US and internationally.
Merritt has held various Marketing, Strategy, Operations and Finance roles for 20 years prior to founding AMT Coaching. She worked as a management consultant at Booz-Allen & Hamilton, as well as ETRADE, Citigroup, Gap and several start-ups.
Merritt earned a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in Economics from Yale University and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University. She completed her coaching accreditation through Columbia University's Coaching Certification Program.
CRC has engaged several local firms to prepare the required documentation for various federal, state, and municipal approvals:
LADA, Landscape Architect and Site Planner
Haley Ward, Civil Engineer
Macchi Engineering, Structural Engineer
Tetra Tech, Environmental Consulting
Ian Cole, Soil Scientist and Wetlands Expert
Heritage Consultants, Historical and Cultural Expert
Moriarty, Paetzold, & Sherwood, Land Use Attorney
All Habitat Services, Invasive Species Consultant
Contact Us
Questions? Feel free to reach out to our team to learn more about the project.
You can also read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on the project:
Read Media Coverage of the Project