Our History

Five Generations.
One Legacy.

From a Yorkshire blacksmith's forge to Southwest Michigan's most innovative workspace — the story of The Foundry spans over 150 years of craftsmanship, industry, and reinvention.

1872
Founded on Excellence

If our walls could talk, this is what they'd say — the building you're reading about is founded on generations of excellence.

With roots dating back to 1872, The Foundry was once home to the Kalamazoo Foundry & Machine Company. Formed by Thomas Buckley, a blacksmith by trade, and a local machinist named Thomas Wilson, KFM was a gray-iron foundry and steel fabrication facility — a place where people melted, shaped, and sold metal. Before closing its doors, KFM would go on to employ five generations of the Buckley family.

Industrial origins
1842 — 1888

Origins

1842
Thomas Buckley is born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. His father was a blacksmith who made forged fittings for looms and the water wheels powering woolen mills.
1872
Buckley forms a partnership with Thomas Wilson, a local machinist. Designing a power hammer for Thomas Clarage & Company is one of their first jobs.
1874
An official foundry is born. Moulder Ambrose Nicholson joins the partnership. The fledgling foundry manufactures cast-iron struts, forged rods, and structural fittings — the stuff that ensures buildings stand the test of time.
1888
Thomas Buckley & Company becomes Kalamazoo Foundry & Machine Company — officially incorporated.
Growth and innovation
1892 — 1938

Growth & Innovation

1892
Thomas Buckley passes away. His son Frederick, a graduate of Rose Polytechnic Institute who had worked for Westinghouse Electric, returns to Kalamazoo to take over.
1906
KFM moves to 600 East Michigan Avenue — the building that would one day become The Foundry.
1922
Wide flange beams and columns introduced, marking KFM's evolution toward modern structural steel fabrication.
1926
KFM builds its first electric welding machine, embracing the technology that would transform metal fabrication.
1930
Fred's sons James and Edwin join KFM. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan School of Engineering.
1938
KFM discontinues forging. The company now operates three main divisions: foundry, machine shop, and steel fabricating shop.
War and industry
1939 — 1972

War, Steel & Legacy

1939–45
KFM supports the war effort, working with the Ingersoll Company to develop and manufacture landing barges, along with other war-related projects.
1950
Fred Buckley dies. KFM's presidency is assumed by eldest son James, continuing the family legacy.
1958
The next generation arrives. James' son-in-law T.P. Emerson and son Frederick II — both U of M engineering graduates — join the company.
1960
Foundry operations discontinued, ending a longstanding customer relationship with Armstrong Machine Works in Three Rivers.
1972
KFM Steel Structures division forms, becoming the Armco Metal Building dealer for a four-county area including Kalamazoo.
Modern era
1972 — 1999

Steel & Structure

1972–79
KFM expands across Michigan. Notable projects include Portage Central High School Gymnasium, Chenery Auditorium, the Masonic Temple, and the Ravine Road bridge over U.S. 131.
1999
KFM closes its doors after operating as a full-line steel fabrication shop at 600 East Michigan Avenue. The company employed five generations of the Buckley family.
The $10 Million Transformation

Forging a Living Office

One part inspiration, two parts innovation, and an ample helping of collaboration — these are the building blocks supporting today's Foundry, the vibrant living office space that once housed the Kalamazoo Foundry & Machine Company.

$10M

Investment

52K

Square Feet

5

Generations

150+

Years of History

The Transformation

The project involved demolition of most of the interior of a two-level, 6,000-square-foot brick building dating back to 1907, interior reinvigoration of an attached 47,000-square-foot warehouse from the 1950s, and significant environmental work associated with brownfield redevelopment.

A new traffic signal was installed at East Michigan Avenue and Harrison Street to improve access, and 30,000 square feet at the rear was cleared to make way for The Veranda and outdoor recreation paths.

The Team

Bob Brown of Treystar, a southwest Michigan developer of more than 570,000 square feet of properties, spearheaded The Foundry's rebirth and oversees its management.

CSM Group served as general contractor and became the building's first tenant. Their shared commitment to teamwork and creativity made the partnership a natural fit.

Today, The Foundry is home to CSM Group, 600 Kitchen & Bar, SalesPage Technologies, and VML.

Experience The Foundry

See the Story in Person

The best way to appreciate 150 years of history is to walk through it. Schedule a tour or plan your next event in a space where the past fuels the future.

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The Foundry today