February 1, 2024

222Mills

Across cities, spaces like Industry City and Ponce City Market are showing what happens when work, food, culture, and recreation collide in one experience. Yonkers, now undergoing a commercial and creative resurgence, needed its own version of this energy. With the opening of Lionsgate Studios and a wave of development, 222Mills was designed to become the city's new cultural anchor.

Verbal Identity

Audience Insights

Social Media Design

Cultural Trend Analysis

Creative Direction

Illustration

Web Content Writing

Content Strategy

Naming

Brand Identity

Qualitative Research

Copywriting

Website Design

Brand Strategy

Brand & Digital Strategy Lead
Client: 222 Lake Partners

Originally a set of rentals, this space needed be repositioned as a cultural destination. I led the entire creative effort, from strategy, naming, and messaging to tone of voice, visual identity, digital direction, and marketing rollout. 222 Mills had to reflect energy, creativity, and belonging. A space that wasn’t just functional, but magnetic. A place where someone could cowork, grab a beer, play games, or host a wedding, all in one day. Rooted in the legacy of the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills, the brand had to channel both its industrial heritage and Yonkers’ new creative rhythm.

Tone of Voice was bold, welcoming, grounded, Tagline was "Work. Play. Thrive" and Messaging Pillars were Workspaces, Play & Leisure, Community, Culture. Every word was designed to feel immediate and inclusive, speaking to Bronx creatives, Westchester locals, and new audiences discovering Yonkers.

The logo drew from the structure of the original mill—tall, grounded, and full of character. Rounded industrial forms referenced nuts and bolts, while angular cuts added movement. A colorful window grid captured the building’s layers of activity. The identity had to feel industrial but also vibrant and unmistakebly Yonkers.

At the time, the building had a few tenants, like the brewery and ninja gym, but no unifying identity. As the brand took shape, so did the vision. I led the branding and launch strategy for multiple new venues, including Mills Social (a social gaming space), Kitchen@TheMills (a café-coworking hybrid), and Events at the Mills (a full-scale events venue). From art shows and flea markets to beer gardens and weddings, the brand gave each moment its own voice—while connecting it all through one story.

222 Mills launched as more than a building—it became a cultural identity. It’s now part of a broader conversation about Yonkers’ creative resurgence, even earning a mention in the New York Times. What began as a rental listing became a high-frequency hub for energy, creativity, and community. 