Cone Mills Florence Plant as it appeared in 1940's
*Information taken from The Daily Courier, Friday, August 20, 2004
Project offers something for everyone...
This is a community-based project and there is room for hundreds of citizens to have a part in the re-birth of this historic mill into a great center of activity for the county.
Assistance is needed from:
former textile mill workers with the history of the mill and the mill hill for a textile museum
artists with the artists’ spaces, teaching facilities, and public art
Rutherford County community history buffs in portraying the history of the county
performing artists, arts organizations, actors, and musicians in developing the Performance Pavilion
local entrepreneurs who want to open or expand restaurants, outdoor cafes, ice cream shop, and other eateries
residents to live in the apartments and condos
civic leaders with the private sector fund raising campaign
parents in making the public spaces kid-friendly
garden designers and enthusiasts to assist the landscape architects in creating a beautiful public plaza
civic leaders and elected officials to link this $20 million project to the county's larger economic development and heritage tourism future
anyone who has a few hours to spare to help move this project along.
Artist's rendering shows a view of the Center after development is complete.
For more information and to volunteer for this project, call Town Planner:
The Florence Mill was built in 1897 by Raleigh Rutherford Haynes.
It was named after one of Haynes' daughters. Florence was one of the first mills that did not rely on waterpower and opened with 12,000 spindles, 200 Draper looms and 200 Lowell looms.
Cone Mills started purchasing stock in Florence Mills in 1935 and by 1940 owned 100 percent of the outstanding stock.
The Florence Mills Charter was liquidated in 1953 and consolidated into the Cone Mills Corporation.
Cone Mills continued to utilize the mill complex until 2001, when they closed the plant with a loss of almost 300 jobs and moved the equipment to the Henrietta plant. Financier W.L. Ross bought Cone Mills in March of this year, and sold the Florence plant to the Town of Forest City earlier this month.
HERE'S WHO WILL PAY THE BILL
Private Sector
$ 15,000,000
Historic Renovation tax credits
$ 3,000,000
Grant from NC Dept. of Commerce
$ 1,000,000
Other grants
$ 650,000
Town of Forest City
$ 350,000
Total
$ 20,000,000
How long will the project take
It is hard to predict but the planning process will take six to nine months and the renovation will take two years.
Grand opening - look for it in 2006!
Partners aligned to transform mill
Who will be the Town of Forest City's partners?
The list of partners will continue to grow throughout the renovation project. Currently, the list includes:
The state and federal government - The Town has already received a grant for $1 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development through the NC Department of Commerce.
Our Developers - Rogers and Associates and Enterprise Real Estate Services bring world-class expertise to the project. North Carolina projects completed by Rogers and Associates include the Grove Arcade in Asheville. Enterprise Real Estate Services has worked in countries such as Spain, Australia, Egypt, Brazil and U.S. cities of Baltimore, and Boston.
The Private Sector - the majority of the funds will come from private development companies and financial institutions bringing outside investment to Rutherford County.
The project will also depend on local contributions from individuals, businesses, industry and foundations through a capital campaign that will launch in 2005.
Artist's rendering shows view of renovated interior of Florence Mill.
"David (Rogers) brought us here two years ago, and actually we became very enchanted with the concept of having a mill property so close to Main Street, that could revitalize Main Street and bring back a mill that had been a thriving part of the community.'
- Bob Barron, CEO of Enterprise Real Estate Services
THE TIMELINE
1877 - The hamlet of Bumt Chimney (population 110) changes its name to Forest City, named after local resident Forest Davis
1922 - Four warehouses are added at the plant.
1885 - Forest City Cotton Mill is built.
1927 - Cone Mills purchases Cliffside and Haynes plants.
1887 - Railroad reaches Forest City.
1934 - National General Textile Strike. Florence Plant is one of the few plants in the country that did not close.
1890 - Population of Forest City is 410.
1940 - Cone Mills acquires majority of Florence Mill's stock.
1892 - Forest City Cotton Mill is purchased Raleigh Rutherford Haynes.
1953 - Property becomes known as Cone Mills Florence Plant.
1896 - Existing 1885 building is razed to make way for the current building.
2001 - Cone Mills Florence Plant closes.
1897 - Florence Mill (named after Haynes' daughter) opens with 12,000 spindles and 400 looms.
2002 - Town begins talks with Cone on the purchase of the plant
1902 - Florence Mill has 350 workers
2003 - Town receives $1 million grant for the project and is named a NC Main Street Community
1910 - Population of Forest City is 1592.
2003 - Cone Mills files for bankruptcy and is purchased by financier W.L. Ross.
1915 - Cone Mills begins producing denim for Levi Strauss & Co.
August 4, 2004 - Ross sells Florence Mill to the Town of Forest City.
Museums, markets homes inside center
Here is a partial list of facilities that may call the Florence Mill their new home:
