The historical renovation of the Sterling Cotton Mill in Franklinton, NC took place in 2018-2019. This beautiful L-shaped brick building was once a thriving cotton mill built by Samuel C. Vann in 1895. The mill closed in 1991 and became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
The General Contractor for the project was Rehab Builders, Inc based in Winston-Salem, NC. P&R Property Group were contracted to do the Drywalling & Painting of the building. This was a wonderful project to work on and to see the historical beauty in person was quite inspiring!
The history of the Cotton Mill is so very rich that we wanted to point out a few of the fascinating things we learned along the way.
Our first photos depict one of the original structures dating back to 1895. Great care has been taken to make sure this beautiful building keeps its historical ‘bones’ and it is currently being renovated to become the fitness center.
Our next photos highlight some of the fabulous window casings throughout the property. Keeping the integrity of these windows was of high importance! To maintain the Historical status that the Sterling Cotton Mill holds, preservation has to be taken very seriously and extra preparation, support & effort had to take place.
The photo below shows a poster that was inside the Mill at demo time. Farley Industries was founded by William F. Farley, who served as president and CEO of Fruit of the Loom from 1985 until 1999. Fruit of the Loom is an American company that manufactures clothing, particularly underwear. The mill was purchased in 1972 by Union Underwear Company, manufacturers of Fruit of the Loom fabric products, linking Farley Industries to this wonderful history-making building!
It’s was an amazing journey seeing this building take shape. We watched it change from the beautiful and historic Cotton Mill, to the stunning Lofts @ Sterling Mill it is today.
Even with the vast amount of changes that took place, Sterling Mill has managed to keep its historical integrity throughout. Attending the grand opening of this long-awaited building was so fulfilling. To look back at where it started and seeing the final outcome has been inspiring.
Rehab Builders did a fantastic job preserving so many of the historical details that make the building what it is today; a charming and well-used space that generations to come will get to enjoy.
Some more interesting facts before we showcase some of our favorite photos from the grand opening:
- The bricks that were used throughout the project were made on site, using the original soil that was initially there. The curing process for each of these bricks differed depending on where they were to be used; Interior wall bricks needed less curing time than the bricks used for the exterior (and therefore stronger) walls.
- To keep the historical beauty alive, many of the decorative pieces used throughout the property were original from the Mill itself, refurbished to their former glory.
We are so grateful to have been a part of this project and to have watched it transform right before our eyes!
We look forward to many more amazing ventures just like this one in the future. As always, contact us any time.