The Torpedo Factory has been in Alexandria since 1974 as a place for artists to create and sell their art. It was bought by the city in 1969 and was unused until Martin Van Landingham, President of the Art League, proposed that part of the factory should be renovated to become studio spaces. It officially opened on September 15, 1974, but underwent more renovations from 1982 to 1983 officially reopening on May 20, 1983. In 1990 the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association (TFAA) began managing the factory; they ran it until 2018 when the city took control, after a unanimous city council decision and mixed opinions from artists.