Factory Town
 | |
| Address | 4800 NW 37th Avenue Hialeah, Florida United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Avra Jain |
| Field size | 190,000-square-feet |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1946 |
| Opened | 2022 |
| Website | |
| www | |
Factory Town is a concert venue in Hialeah, Florida, a suburb of Miami located in an old abandoned factory.
History
[edit]Factory Town is based out of the formerly abandoned and derelict Dixie Bedding mattress factory built in 1946 which at one point employed 200 people and primarily worked as a contractor to the United States Army to provide bedding for troops.[1] However, during the wider Rust Belt phenomenon in the 1970s the factory would be abandoned, as it was impossible for domestic manufacturers to compete with cheap foreign goods.[1]
Factory Town is the ambition of developer Avra Jain who bought the site to help retain youth in Hialeah, who had been moving out of the city in large numbers.[2][1] Her vision for the site sought to meet demand for concert spaces in the greater Miami region and to be a competitor to Wynwood.[1] Jain chose to retain the structures of the factory to retain its "raw industrial glory", however, stripping the roofs to make the venue open air.[3] This included keeping a large kapok tree in the middle of the site to create an ecological garden.[3] Factory Town also has no master plan, allowing visiting acts to design the layout of the performance as they wish.[1]
Factory town would become part of the Leah Arts district, which is located between two Tri-Rail stations to make it easier for people to reach the venue.[4] The district was initially proposed by Jain and includes allows outdoor music and entertainment and 24-hour liquor services.[2]
Noise complaints
[edit]Since its inception, the neighboring city of Miami Springs has routinely sued the venue for noise complaints.[1] However, Hialeah's city government has voiced strong support for the venue.[1] Miami Springs has described the venue and it's concerts as "nuisances" and "a significant annoyance" and claimed that there where 243 noise complaints claiming that residents "feared for their safety."[5] Miami Springs demanded Factory Town “abate all noise entering the [city]”.[6] However, since the venue is not located in Miami Springs, the city has instead sought legal action in Miami-Dade County courts.[5] Jain claimed that she had never received any letter of complaint from Miami Springs, and first learned of their grievances when they filed suit against Factory Town.[6] Hialeah's Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo stated that he would address the concerns, but that he was also upset with neighboring municipalities "dictating what we can and can’t do in our city."[7]
The lawsuit from Miami Springs was ultimately dismissed after Factory Town hired a sound engineer and put in place measures to reduce the noise.[7] However, this has not stopped locals from complaining about the noise including those from Hialeah and Brownsville.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Viglucci, Andres. "What is Factory Town? Old industrial site promises a hip vibe for Hialeah". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ a b Viglucci, Andres. "'Why not Hialeah?': The city aims for entertainment, urban living to lure the young". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ a b Viglucci, Andres. "Developer Avra Jain finds gold where others can't. Saving Miami's history is her thing". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ Viglucci, Andres. "Hialeah makeover focuses on arts district, transit hubs, big bet on Factory Town, and much more". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ a b Karantsalis, Theo. "Miami Springs aims to pull plug on late-night bass from a Hialeah business". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ a b Livingston, Layron. "City of Miami Springs files lawsuit due to noise from outdoor concert venue in Hialeah". WPLG. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Brito, Verónica Egui. "Factory Town festivals disrupt neighborhoods in Hialeah, Miami Springs, residents say". Miami Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2024.