The re-development of a former cellophane plant in Spotsylvania County is well underway, with the recent addition of a brewery to the complex and the opening of about 250 apartments.
Over the past few years, Richmond-based Monument Companies has been transforming the Bowman Center off State Route 2 into a vibrant mixed-use development. The center was formerly home to the FMC cellophane plant, which was the Fredericksburg area’s largest employer before shutting down in 1978.
Monument Companies has been renovating former industrial buildings at the Bowman Center into The Factory at Upper Spotsy mixed-use project.
Monument has been renovating and repurposing three buildings on site, and one new building is under construction. There are now about 250 apartments available there — called The Factory at Upper Spotsy — and most of them are leased. About 250 additional residences are under development.
The newest entry to the project is Maltese Brewing Company FXBG, which moved to the Bowman Center this summer from a smaller nearby location on Pierson Drive in Spotsylvania. Look for a Biz Beat Clips video on Maltese here on Nov. 14.
Maltese co-founder Bobby Cook said one of the factors that drew his brewery to the Bowman Center was a chance to pay homage to the Blue & Gray Brewing Company — an early pioneer in the region’s microbrewery scene that was located in the Bowman Center. Blue & Gray was sold to Adventure Brewing in 2016.
Maltese will sublease a smaller building next to the brewery to Smashed Life Food Truck, which is a frequent part of the food-truck rotation at Maltese and is now ready to open a bricks-and-mortar location. James Wine, one of the owners of Smashed Life, said he plans to open the eatery in early May.
Also in the Bowman Center is the Hit The Spot Kitchen (formerly Will’s Place). Another recent addition near the front of the Bowman Center is the 2020 Driving School.
Bill Freehling covers local business for the Fredericksburg Free Press. He can be reached at: [email protected].
