The textile industry in the Carolinas may have shrunk from its heyday in the early 20th century, but textile companies are still operating in the region.
There are also plenty of textile mill buildings no longer used for their original function of manufacturing bedsheets, towels, shirts and socks. The buildings typically comprise red brick, sturdy bones, tall ceilings and plenty of character.
The Keith Corp. took one of these buildings in the Charlotte, North Carolina, suburb of Rock Hill, South Carolina, dating to 1892, and converted it to The Thread, a mixed-use property that opened in September. The Keith Corp. worked with the building's owner, descendants of the family that started textile maker Springs Industries, on the redevelopment.
The Thread project has been selected by an independent panel of industry experts as the winner of a 2025 CoStar Impact Award for redevelopment of the year for Charlotte.
Tenants at The Thread include programs affiliated with Winthrop University, a public college in Rock Hill, and the architecture firm LaBella Associates.
The Thread also secured an entertainment purveyor for the building. Roar leased 16,771 square feet for its 1920s-themed family-entertainment concept that offers casual dining, a full bar, duckpin bowling, mini golf, arcade games and live performances.
About the project: The Thread is a 400,000-square-foot former industrial building in downtown Rock Hill that was once used for automotive and textile manufacturing.
What the judges said: "They took an old building and rather than demolishing it they brought it up to today's standards. Great job integrating it into the immediate area and the larger community," said Spencer Yorke, vice president at JLL.
They made it happen: Ken Beuley, president of The Keith Corp.; Derick Close, CEO, and Claude Close, president of the creative products group, at Springs Creative.