In 1898 the Cone and Sternberger brothers partnered to open Revolution Mill – the South’s first flannel mill. By 1930 Revolution had grown to be the world’s largest flannel mill. By the 1980’s flannel’s popularity had waned dramatically. In 1982 Revolution Mill closed. Its first life had ended! In 2012 the Self-Help Ventures Fund of Durham took ownership of Revolution Mill. Its second life was about to begin!
With a vision to restore and revitalize this historic campus as a place of creative work and creative living our adaptive repurposing project began. Today the first phase of the project is occupied by over 100 diverse tenants. From our high demand event centers to our healthy dining Springboard Café/Catering, Revolution Mills tenants include biotech research labs, photography studios, regional theater producers, graphic designers, architects, child guidance counselors, interior designers, environmental law firms, health/fitness salons, and diverse office tenants. The second phase will add open creative work spaces, co-working labs, artist studios, regional art galleries, artisanal studios, 142 creative loft apartments, three additional vibrant restaurants, and a 100,000 barrel / year national brewery with a full brew tavern. This second phase currently in progress will advance this 750,000 / 50 acre adaptive renovation to incorporate the adjacent accessory buildings and industrial campus. This effort will restore North Buffalo Creek and complete the greenway connection to downtown Greensboro. New outdoor performance and recreational venues will insure a complete creative live/work/play destination. The combination of Greensboro’s public and Self-Help’s private investments have returned Revolution Mill to its initial place as the hub of north Greensboro life.
Stewart and Belk Architecture are currently working together to provide wayfinding and conceptual master planning services for the project. Nancy Frame Design (www.nancyframedesign.com) designed the interior way finding scheme using a color coded strategy as shown on map graphic to help users navigate the large scale, mixed use space.
