Fleming Potter was a printing company that was in operation here in Peoria for decades. I’m not sure about this, but I believe it started in the ‘50’s. I worked there from 1980 to 1993 and when I quit I moved to New York. I’m not quite sure when it went out of business, but I think it was sometime around 2006, I really need to employ a fact checker here at MBIP! Anyway, when I moved back here in 2012, I went and did a post on Fleming Potter and took some pictures of the empty building. I got obsessed that day with getting back inside and looking at the place where I had worked for over a decade in the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s. Well, last week that obsession finally got resolved!
Fleming Potter is being renovated into a downtown apartment building in the Warehouse District and I got some contact information that might just get me into the building! So let’s travel to downtown Peoria and check out Fleming Potter for a second time and see if we can make this an inside job this time! (P.S. Check out the obligatory mirror shot in the above title graphics photo, I love it when that happens! Okay, let’s get rolling!)
Here we are approaching the Fleming Potter building on a rainy and drainy day. I really like that second rain-soaked, drive-by shot!
I parked in the back lot and here’s some pictures of the building as it stands now.
Let’s take a walk down the sidewalk and see if we can get inside.
The first door I tried was locked, but look what I found a few precious feet away, an open door! Let’s go in and start this inside job!
This feels so weird! This is the stairway I would take everyday to my job in the art department at Fleming Potter! I walked up these stairs every day for 13 years! And check out the room, it’s been totally gutted! This is a real Twilight Zone feeling standing in here!
Here’s the spot where I sat here in the art department. I worked on a light table here...well, when I wasn’t sneaking out and going to the Judge’s Chambers when I worked third shift here the last few years! Ha ha ha!
Tim was working here on the floor and I got shots of him masked and unmasked! He said he moved here from Chicago and he really enjoys living here in Peoria. We had a nice chat about P-town and I told him stories about working here for years.
This window is completely knocked out and gives view to the building next door.
Here’s the gentleman who made all this happen, Trevor Holmes! Trevor is with The Becker Company and is in charge of the re-development of the building into a downtown apartment complex. He agreed to give us a tour of the building, so let’s take a further look around in here.
Here’s Trevor leading the way up to the next floor which used to house all of the offices in here.
Wow, it’s really surreal seeing the place entirely gutted!
The next stop was here in the basement and this used to be the lunch room. I had many sandwiches in here and the bulk of them were ham and cheese!
The last stop was here in the front of the building and this was the reception area. This was really crazy walking around in here for the first time in over twenty years! Thanks to Trevor for the tour and here’s a blurb that Trevor sent me regarding what they’re renovating the building into:
The Becker Companies is proud to announce the redevelopment of 1028 SW Adams, the former Fleming Potter building which is being renamed, Persimmon Lofts. The building is located in the Warehouse District in downtown Peoria, IL. The project will consist of 44 Residential units, one commercial unit, and 50 secured parking spaces.
The deluxe apartments will have floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, exposed brick exterior walls (for that urban feel).
The total cost of the redevelopment will be around $5,000,000. The project will utilize the Federal and State Historic Tax Credits to facilitate the financing of the redevelopment, along with a redevelopment agreement with the City of Peoria to rebate 50% of the Property Tax Increment to help with the operation of the project.
The Becker Companies is excited to add this new property to our existing portfolio of residential and commercial developments.
Check out the Persimmons Lofts facebook page and if you have questions feel free to call Trevor at: 309-674-1200.
The Last Photos Of Fleming Potter
Trevor and his crew took photos of Fleming Potter before they started the demolition of the inside of the building and he was kind enough to pass them along to me. Here’s the final photos of how it used to look in here! I love the designated smoking sign and all of the paneling! I’m really thrilled to have this exclusive documentation here on MBIP! Thanks to Trevor for sending them along!
Historical Fleming Potter Photos From The Past!
Okay, this is really cool! Trevor found some historical photos of Fleming Potter and he was kind enough to pass these along as well! Thanks to Bradley University, The Peoria Historical Society and The Peoria Public Library for these photos! I love the one of the first art department! They built what I eventually would settle into for 13 years! Memories...
Related Posts: This Used To Be...Fleming Potter and (Snow Day!) Murray’s Department Store and Fleming Potter—Ghost Buildings And Memories From My Past.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
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Bonus Fleming Potter Photos From Tim Carey
MBIP pal, Tim Carey from Butch’s Pizza sent me these Fleming Potter photos from 1998 on the day that Dick Maxwell, who ran the plate room retired. Lots of familiar faces in these photos! Thanks to Tim for sending in these photos of Fleming Potter people partying like it’s 1998!
