Nestled between the old Superior Viaduct and the Center Street swing bridge in the Flats sits a building that once housed a foundry for the White Sewing Machine Company. The squat, one story brick structure dates back to the late 1800's.

Vacant for 15 years, the space is now in the final stages of a major update as the John G. Johnson Construction Company (JGJ) gets ready to move into their new digs at 1284 Riverbed Street. The company is scheduled to move into the space on November 10th.

"Being in construction, we like to see renovation/adaptive-reuse projects," says JGJ's business development manager Matt Large. "We're doing that right now; we're turning a steel foundry for sewing machines into construction offices for the modern era."

The transformed 7,500-foot space will feature an open office/industrial warehouse layout designed to facilitate collaboration between employees. Cleveland-based architects Herman Gibans Fodor, Inc, completed the design work. Cost for the project is confidential, but county records show that the previous owner, Riverside Construction, sold the building to M&M Companies LLC for $530,000. It transferred in February. The space is approximately twice as large as the firm's current facility, which is housed -- believe it or not -- in a house at 8360 East Washington Street in Chagrin Falls. The company has been there for 27 years.

"We feel the employees are really going to like it," says Large of the new space, "and that it will really make them excel at their work."

Founded in 1928 and incorporated in 1943, JGJ specializes in construction management, commercial and general contracting. Their portfolio is mostly dedicated to houses of worship, educational and governmental buildings. Examples of their work include the Euclid Public Library, the Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School, the Chabad Jewish Center of Solon and a number of structures for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.

"We just want to have a greater Cleveland presence," says Large on the impetus of the move. "We feel that moving to Cleveland is a great thing for us to do right now. A lot of our work is in Cleveland and the surrounding counties. Things are booming."

The company is currently at work on projects such as an east side maintenance facility for the city of Cleveland, renovations to Judson Park in the University Circle neighborhood, and a renovation of Hotel Breakers at Cedar Point.

Business for JGJ has nearly doubled in recent years. The company is hiring and expects to have about 15 employees in the new offices. He cites the popularity of Merwin's Wharf, the anticipated opening of Brick and Barrel Brewery and activity along Columbus and Elm Streets as harbingers of good things for the area.

"We're getting caught up in that little area of the Flats, caught up in the potential growth. We feel like it’s a great area to be a part of and we plan to be there for a long time."