Forging Outward
Artisan Forge Studios on verge of big expansion
Barely a year after it opened, Artisan Forge Studios – a collaborative artistic and industrial facility with more than 20 tenants – is already poised for major expansion. The Eau Claire Plan Commission recently approved a two-phase addition to Artisan Forge, 1106 Mondovi Road, and ground was expected to be broken the week of Nov. 28. The project will more than double the size of the business and allow for as many as 50 tenants. “The basic gist is we’re just plain old out of space,” explained owner Greg Johnson. His own custom metalworking business, Artisan Forge Metalworks, is located in the existing 20,000-square-foot building with a diverse array of tenants, ranging from photographers and painters to leatherworkers, industrial designers, and stone sculptors. “We’ve had a really good reception over all,” Johnson said. “The community has really embraced this concept and idea.” Soon, they’ll have more to embrace. Phase one of the expansion will be a two-story, 17,000-square-foot addition on the front of the building, which will comprise up to 32 studios and a wide-open upper-level space intended for larger tenants. A glass atrium will connect the two buildings. This project will be completed by May or June, Johnson said. The second phase will entail a 12,000-square-foot addition to the back of the building. This may be built as soon as the first phase is finished or at some point in the future, he added. If you’ve driven down Clairemont Avenue past Artisan Forge recently, you’ve noticed another growing element of the business: a sculpture garden. Johnson also got permission from the city to display 16 large-scale sculptures along a 30-foot-wide strip in front of the building. The pieces, some of which may be crafted locally, will be for sale or lease as well as for public enjoyment. To learn more about the business, visit artisanforgestudios.com.
