For the better part of the 20th century, the floors inside the White Mill buzzed with textile manufacturing. Aside from a pegeon or two, no one has called this building home for decades.
This fall a transformation will begin — taking this empty mill to new heights with apartments and commercial space.
“We’re very fortunate to have these beautiful, historic structures within our community and to be able to find ways to repurpose them, said Corrie Bobe, director of economic development for the City of Danville.
She says finding a purpose for such a large building was not easy.
“Why do you think it took so long to redevelop this property?” Bobe said, “So this is an incredibly large building which takes a lot of resources to develop it as well as just absorb a large number of uses. So finding that mix of residential and commercial took a while to establish.”
Once complete, the concrete floors will transform into beautiful, spacious apartments. The painted windows will be replaced and provide tons of natural light.
The first floor will become 110,000 square feet of retail space.
“On the building itself, you won’t see a lot of changes. We’re renovating the building to the secretary of interior’s standards so it will be a true historic preservation,” said David Vos, development project manager for The Alexander Company.
It’s not all about what is inside the old mill. The new Riverfront Park will tie into the project, including a whitewater channel that will place the mill on its own island.
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This article was originally published by ABC 13 News.
