South Carolina Developer Plans 87 Townhouses at Old Kingsdown Factory Site

Plans for a new mixed-use project at the former Kingsdown mattress site in downtown Mebane, North Carolina have surfaced. A South Carolina builder wants to add 87 townhouses plus shops at West Washington and Third streets.

After buying the land for $3.3 million last August, the builder scrapped an earlier apartment plan. Workers cleared most structures by November, keeping just the historic Cotton Building intact.

That two-story Cotton Building, which stands between the city hall and library, will become a 2,000-square-foot gathering spot. For years, this spot marked the heart of Kingsdown's work in Mebane, where many locals earned their living.

The site will fit 382 vehicles: some on streets, others in garages or regular spots. A deal with the nearby Methodist church adds 40 more spaces, though not during Sunday worship times.

Each townhouse will offer three bedrooms. Shops will fill the corner space, though final details might shift based on city feedback. The builder might adjust the retail layout after meeting with local officials.

Next month's planning board meeting on July 14 will look at the new site plan. City leaders still need to vote on changing the land's zoning rules.

This fresh approach marks a big shift from the past. The old plan from late 2022 called for tall apartment blocks with ground-floor shops, but that idea never took shape.