Electricity came to Lappeenranta, capitol of Southern Karelia in 1901, when the first DC power station was built to Pallo district. This facility served until 1928, when the city owned power company started buying power from Imatran Voima and ended own production. The power station was left vacant.

In 1933, the power station got a new user: felt factory Saimaan Huopatehdas. The power station was expanded with second storey, and later the factory's affiliate, (felt) shoe factory Saimaan Kenkätehdas started operating in a dedicated, new built house. Even more expansions were built later.

The traditional branch of industry occupied the main building for quite long, which is to say till 1999. For last years, the shoe factory was occupied by a recycling center. Total abandonment of the buildings around 1999 brought graffiti, vandalism, and something else which you can find on the picture pages to the area. The place was demolished in summer of 2006, after years of typical controversy "historic, should be preserved" vs. "bad conditioned, would cost too much to renovate".