Revolution Mill

What Revolution Mill does

Revolution Mill is a 45-acre mixed-use real estate campus in Greensboro, North Carolina, redeveloped from the historic 1898-1899 Cone Brothers flannel mill — once the largest cotton flannel mill in the world and the South's first. Owned by Self-Help, a Durham-based nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI), and managed by Kane Realty Co., the campus combines more than 345,000 square feet of Class A creative and office space (the 950-1250 historic mill buildings and the 2021-24 renovated five-story 2005 Building), approximately 183 luxury loft-style apartments (Revolution Mill Apartments and 2005 Apartments), and a curated mix of restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, retail tenants, galleries, and event venues anchored by a Social District. The $140+ million phased redevelopment was financed through Self-Help equity, federal and state historic tax credits (~$40+ million), and New Markets Tax Credits (~$13 million), with Phase 1 ($91 million) reaching 95% occupancy at completion in 2019 and Phase 2 ($38 million) opening in May 2024.

The company generates revenue through three recurring streams: (1) Class A commercial office leasing handled by Self-Help Real Estate's Lee Mortensen, with spaces from 400 SF+ targeted at small, mid-market, and enterprise tenants; (2) luxury residential apartment leasing across 183 units distributed via dedicated websites (revolutionmillapartments.com, 2005apartments.com) with Funnel Leasing application flow and tour scheduling; and (3) restaurant and retail tenant rent across 140+ on-campus businesses including Cugino Forno, KAU Restaurant, Grapes & Grains Speakeasy Tavern, Incendiary Brewing, Solo Taco, Greenlove Coffee, Cure Waterless Nail Spa, Restoration Med Spa, and Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie. GTM is primarily direct-to-consumer with regional scope: the campus attracts 1,500 daily visitors, 180 residents, and 140+ businesses, supported by LoopNet listings, organic social media (Instagram), earned media in O.Henry, Our State, and Tanger Center Playbill, community events (Summer Tide at the Stacks, Cinco de Mayo, Pumpkin Pop-Up), and a free Hopper Trolley partnership with Greensboro Transit Agency.

The campus's competitive position rests on irreplaceable historic assets (original maple and polished concrete floors, exposed brick, high ceilings, the Fabric of Memory history exhibit curated by UNC Greensboro's Museum Studies program), a self-reinforcing ecosystem of residential, office, dining, retail, and cultural tenants, and mission-driven nonprofit ownership prioritizing community development over profit maximization. Recent moves include the October 2025 debut of The Stacks social district, the 2025 Solo Taco $1.4M expansion, the KAU ownership transition to Pepper Moon Corporation, and recognition via the 2025 CPN Star Award for the Mill House restoration.

Name

Revolution Mill

Legal name

Revolution Mill

Website

https://revolutionmillgreensboro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Revolution Mill is a 45-acre mixed-use real estate campus in Greensboro, NC, redeveloped from the 1899 Cone Brothers flannel mill into 345,000+ SF of Class A office space, 183 luxury loft apartments, and a curated mix of restaurants, retail, galleries, and event venues, owned by nonprofit CDFI Self-Help.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commercial Office Leasing: Revenue generated from leasing Class A office space to businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations. Spaces available from 400 SF+ with mid-sized to large office options.
2. Restaurant and Retail Tenant Rent: Revenue from restaurants, bars, breweries, shops, and services operating on campus including Cugino Forno, Grapes & Grains, Kau, Greenlove Coffee, Incendiary Brewing, and others.
3. Apartment Leasing: Luxury loft-style residential apartments at Revolution Mill Apartments and 2005 Apartments generating rental income from approximately 183 residential units including traditional, loft, and townhome options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Revolution Mill is a 45-acre mixed-use campus redeveloped from the historic 1899 Cone Brothers flannel mill in Greensboro, NC, leasing more than 345,000 SF of Class A creative and office space to small and large businesses, offering luxury loft-style and townhome apartments across approximately 183 residential units, and hosting curated restaurants, breweries, galleries, event venues, and a co-working space within a single self-sustaining live-work-play district.

Product overview

Revolution Mill is a 45-acre mixed-use campus in Greensboro, NC, that has been redeveloped from the historic 1899 Cone Brothers flannel mill (once the world's largest). The campus offers a unified portfolio of Class-A workspaces (including the historic main mill buildings with over 345,000 SF and the modern 2005 Building with 145,000 SF), luxury loft-style apartments (Revolution Mill Apartments and 2005 Apartments with 183+ total units), diverse dining options (Cugino Forno, Kau Restaurant, Grapes & Grains, Incendiary Brewing, Solo Taco, Greenlove Coffee, Peace of Her), retail and service tenants (Cure Waterless Nail Spa, Restoration Med Spa, Black Magnolia, Kinward Center), cultural venues (Gallery 1250, Central Gallery, Fabric of Memory History Exhibit), and private event spaces. The campus is managed by Self-Help and Kane Realty Co., and features amenities including a fitness center, walking trails, bark park, and EV charging stations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 2005 Revolution Mill: A five-story, 145,000-square-foot building (formerly a 1915 warehouse) developed as part of Phase 2, featuring retail, office, apartment, and restaurant space.
• Mill House
• The Stacks
• The Docks

Products and services

• Class A Office Workspaces Class A office space available for small businesses and large corporations, offering more than 345,000 SF of creative and office space across the historic mill buildings with original maple and polished concrete floors, exposed brick, high ceilings, and conference rooms.
• 2005 Building Office Space Class A commercial office space within the 2005 Building, a five-story, 145,000-square-foot former 1915 packaging and shipping warehouse renovated in 2021-2024 with an industrial-meets-modern feel and approximately 55,000 SF of office space.
• Revolution Mill Apartments Luxury loft-style apartments featuring soaring ceilings, oversized windows, exposed brick walls, and original maple hardwood or stained concrete floors, located at 850 Revolution Mill Drive, Greensboro, NC 27405.
• 2005 Apartments Newest residential building at Revolution Mill featuring unique lofts and townhomes with original reclaimed pine flooring, brick accents, and stainless steel appliances.
• Gallery 1250 Art gallery located on the first floor of 1250 Revolution Mill Drive featuring rotating exhibitions by local and regional artists.
• Central Gallery Gallery space at Revolution Mill featuring rotating art exhibits including photography, quilts, impressionism, and realism by local and regional artists.
• Fabric of Memory History Exhibit Oral history museum focused on the experiences of Cone mill village inhabitants, curated by UNC Greensboro's Master's program in History and Museum Studies, open Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 1250 Revolution Mill Drive, Suite 212.
• The Grove Co-working Space Flexible co-working and short-term office space within the 2005 Building (Mill House), designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses seeking flexible terms at the Revolution Mill campus.
• Private Event Spaces Event venues available for private gatherings across the campus, including restaurant spaces at Kau (main floor dining room for 14+ guests, mezzanine for up to 150) and an expansive deck patio for up to 200 guests.

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kane Realty Co.coreOthersProperty management company handling day-to-day operations of Revolution Mill campus. Manages leasing, tenant relations, and campus operations on behalf of owner Self-Help.
• CT Wilson Construction Company, Inc.minorOthersGeneral contractor for Phase 2 development of 2005 Revolution Mill ($38 million project). Recognized for dedication and craftsmanship in the Mill House restoration that won the 2025 CPN Star Award.
• Belk ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm led by Eddie Belk responsible for master planning and adaptive reuse design of Revolution Mill. Principal architect on 14th mill complex, with over 7 million square feet of historic property redesign experience including American Tobacco Campus in Durham.
• Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA)minorOthersCity transit agency operating the free Hopper Trolley service that now includes stops at Revolution Mill. Trolley runs from downtown Greensboro to campus approximately every 12-15 minutes, providing fare-free transit access.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Industry City: Brooklyn, NY adaptive reuse of a historic industrial complex into a multi-tenant campus of offices, food, retail, and event space. Closely mirrors Revolution Mill's model of preserving industrial architecture while layering modern mixed-use tenants.
• Ponce City Market: Iconic adaptive-reuse conversion of the former Sears, Roebuck & Co. building in Atlanta, GA into a mixed-use hub with offices, retail, F&B hall, and residential lofts. Directly comparable in scale, historic character, and live-work-play tenant mix.
• Innovation Quarter: Mixed-use redevelopment of the former R.J. Reynolds Tobacco campus in Winston-Salem, NC, combining office, lab, retail, residential and event uses. Comparable to Revolution Mill as a North Carolina adaptive-reuse mixed-use campus with strong institutional backing.
• The Banks: Mixed-use riverfront redevelopment in Cincinnati, OH combining residential, office, retail, and entertainment space on previously underutilized land. Comparable as a multi-phase mixed-use waterfront campus with phased buildout and public/private partnership elements.
• Old Post Office (6018): Adaptive-reuse redevelopment of Chicago's historic Old Main Post Office into Class-A office, retail, F&B, and event space. Comparable large-scale historic adaptive-reuse asset operating as a mixed-use campus with a strong amenity and event programming layer.
• American Tobacco Campus: Historic-to-mixed-use redevelopment of a former American Tobacco manufacturing campus in Durham, NC, also designed by Belk Architecture. Directly comparable in adaptive reuse of a historic industrial site into office, residential, retail, and entertainment uses within the same North Carolina market.

Broad incumbents

• Jamestown: Real estate investment and operator focused on adaptive-reuse and mixed-use assets, owner of comparable properties including Ponce City Market and Ghirardelli Square. Comparable as the established institutional owner/operator of the asset class Revolution Mill competes in.
• Brookfield Properties: Large diversified real estate operator with a significant mixed-use and office portfolio across major North American markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities (Class-A office, retail, multifamily) but at portfolio scale rather than single-campus focus.
• Howard Hughes Holdings: Developer and operator of large master-planned communities (e.g., The Woodlands, Downtown Columbia, Summerlin) combining office, retail, residential, and entertainment uses. Comparable as a broad incumbent creating mixed-use destinations at scale, though focused on greenfield master planning rather than historic adaptive reuse.

Regional players

• Cotton Mill at McEwen: Historic cotton mill redevelopment in Franklin, TN converted into a mixed-use campus with retail, dining, office, and event space. Comparable as a smaller-scale Southeastern historic adaptive-reuse project with a similar tenant mix, but in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/revolutionmillgso
• Facebookfacebook.com/revolutionmillgreensboro
• Xx.com/revolution_mill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Revolution Mill