 Preservation of elements of Portland 's industrial laundry era and its relation to the women ’ s labor movement and the rise of the middle class in the United States are factors in the building 's listing on the National Register . Built and first operated by Charles F. Brown , an individual businessman , the building was bought in 1927 by Home Services Company , a power @-@ laundry consortium . American Linen Supply and then Perfect Fit Manufacturing , a maker of automotive fabrics , used the building after Home Services sold it in 1950 . Acquired by Alter LLC in 2008 , the building is home to Yale Union ( YU ) , a contemporary arts center . 
