It’s easy to mistake the wooden floors and vaulted ceilings inside the old Woodside Mill in Easley for new additions, but in truth they’re as old as the structure itself.
“We’ve had people come in and ask us when we put those new floors in,” said Matthew Neely, vice president of Multifamily Select Development, which is spearheading the mill’s renovation in partnership with Kingside Properties. “I tell them, ‘Yeah, those got put in about 120 years ago.’”
Completed in 1901, the mill — commonly known as Easley Mill — looks surprisingly good for its 120 years. On a recent morning, sunlight streamed through the building’s distinct arched windows as Neely strolled across the original floorboards.
Now that the once-empty 224,000-square-foot structure is being transformed into an apartment complex, Neely said they aim to highlight those historic attributes.
“We were surprised how well the place had held up,” he said. “It really was in great shape right when we started. Our job is to keep all that history intact.”
The apartment complex will feature 128 one- to three-bedroom units across five floors, with prices starting around $1,150, Neely said. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with residents moving in by the end of January 2021.
Neely said a major goal of the project was to offer more common space than renters are typically accustomed to, with amenities such as an outdoor pool, parking, a gym, storage space, office rental space, a communal kitchen area, an outdoor seating area and an “in-home style” movie theater.
All amenities, as well as internet, will be included in the rent price.
