Six years ago a design and art center opened in San Miguel in a complex of old mill buildings.  The mill originally opened in 1903 and produced cotton fabrics until the 1970's.  As most of you know, I live in a converted old mill building that was built about the same time (and converted about the same time) so I have a special fondness for Fabrica la Aurora. For more about its history, go to:http://www.fabricalaaurora.com/history.html

Today there are several buildings that contain designer decorating shops, antiques and furniture galleries, folk art, jewelry, and fine art galleries, artists studios, a book store, a restaurant and a cafe.  As with Riverfront Lofts, original features of the building have been preserved at Aurora. Connecting the buildings are nicely landscaped walks and plazas.  Once a month there is an open house with music and food.



For a factory building, the facade is quite grand.



And the courtyard, original to the building, is equally impressive.



The interior spaces are spacious and lit with skylights.






Mill equipment  and power looms are still in place in parts of the building.  One gallery surrounds the generator.





Even fire extinguishers become part of the decor.