NEWS

Modern Business Puts Historic Building to Good Use

Matt Wilcox rehabbed Huntington’s historic Fulton Milk Company building to house his distribution business, preserving the landmark’s Art Deco highlights.

Apollo Caster building, Huntington

Cream of the Crop

When Huntington’s Fulton Milk Company was built in 1946, it must have looked like a vision of the future. With its glossy buff brick, oversized portal windows, and streamlined marquee-style awning, it was a model of cutting-edge Art Deco design. Inside, the high-gloss brick walls meant easy sanitations, and glass-block clerestory windows directed natural light from a two-story atrium into the ground floor workspace.

Fulton Milk Company historic

Fast-forward about a half-century and the aging building presented a much different picture. After the milk processing plant closed, the building housed a print shop for a while, then fell into use as a cold and dank warehouse.

Fortunately Huntington’s Mayor Brooks Fetters is an advocate for preservation, and he recognized potential the neglected dairy building. When Mayor Fetters heard that Matt Wilcox, founder and president of Apollo Caster, was looking to relocate his business into a historic building, he knew just the right place.

Only minutes into his tour of the building in 2017, Wilcox realized it was a perfect fit for his business as a distributor of small wheels, castors and glides. The company received a grant from the city to help rehab the historic building.

Apollo Caster, Huntington

The full-scale renovation included a new roof, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and masonry repair. The buildup of ink and grime meant Wilcox and his crew had to scrub each glossy brick by hand. But the results are gratifying. Today, the buff bricks shine again, the polished red terra cotta floor tiles reflect light from the atrium, and restored Art Deco light fixtures illuminate the lobby and office spaces.

Apollo Caster, Huntington

Apollo Caster is a model of adaptive use, a modern business in a restored vintage building. Several offices in the building are available as incubator spaces, available for lease to new business start-ups. It’s Matt’s way of giving back to the community that supported him in this endeavor.

For more information on the project, contact Paul Hayden, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Northeast Field Office, 260-563-7094, phayden@indianalandmarks.org.

Sign up for our e-newsletter.

Stay up to date on the latest news, stories, and events from Indiana Landmarks, around the state or in your area.