At its annual conference in August, the Georgia Downtown Association recognized City of Canton with an Award of Excellence in the category of Best Adaptive Reuse for The Mill on Etowah.
This stunning adaptive reuse development, which once housed a 120-year-old cotton mill, is nestled on 35 acres along the banks of Canton's Etowah River. The Mill on Etowah now boasts a large brewery/taproom, community green and screen, restaurants, wine bar, spa, shops, coworking space, dance studio, gym, and an outfitter, which sells goods and rents tubes for guests to float down the river.
This 250,000-square-foot destination also features a variety of public artwork including a bronze statue of a Creek Native American, a funky blackbird sculpture, a mural of the Etowah River, and many artistic photographs that highlight the area's rich history.
In 1899, Robert T. Jones founded the original Canton Cotton Mill. After the Mill closed in the manufacturing downturn of the early 1980s, visionary developers Penn Hodge and Grant Schmeelk took over the brick mill and the six additional buildings in 2018.
Today, residents and visitors to the venue can enjoy not only the permanent retail and meeting spaces but also attend multiple weekly events. With live music, festivals, kids' activities, and sports on the big screen, The Mill on Etowah maintains an active online calendar.
Because the original cotton mill served as a national leading producer of denim and was a powerful economic force for Canton and Cherokee County, the City is thrilled to see the new life The Mill on Etowah brings as an economic development driver. Modernizing and preserving important history while creating a hub of tourism activity is a dream addition for any downtown area.
Hoping to add to The Mill experience even further, the City has recently applied for an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, which would allow for the construction of a connector bridge from the new trail system over the Etowah River to The Mill. Making Canton more walkable and bikeable creates community connection and promotes the Etowah River as a destination. Additionally, the City has hired a firm to help West Main Street become more pedestrian friendly, adding accessibility between downtown Canton and The Mill on Etowah.
As the City works on these economic development initiatives, the Hodge/Schmeelk development team recently closed on the historic Jones Mercantile building in the heart of Canton's downtown. This new mixed-use complex will include street-level restaurants, retail, and office/workspace up top. As a result, "The Jones" will once again become a central gathering place for residents and visitors.
Stay tuned to Canton Family Life magazine and follow the Facebook page (keywords: Brooke Schmidt, Canton City Councilor) for all the latest news about Canton's public art, tourism, and economic development.