Judson Mill opens The Jenny + Westervelt Apartments in Greenville

Judson Mill is finally what it will be for the next season of its life.

Judson Mill District celebrated the grand opening of The Jenny + Westervelt Apartments Nov. 13, marking the completion of the historic mill’s multi-year revitalization into a mixed-use community that brings a new kind of activity for a former workplace.

The one-time mill for fine yarns and fabrics closed in 2015, leaving nearly 1 million square feet of space that left some, especially neighbors in the former mill’s employee village. The $60 million adaptive reuse of the Jenny and Westervelt buildings adds 181 loft-style apartments and approximately 170,000 square feet of restored residential space to the 36-acre campus, according to a news release.

Located within two of the mill’s most historic structures, The Jenny + Westervelt showcase preserved brick, timber beams, soaring ceilings and oversized windows alongside modern layouts and high-quality finishes, the release said. Floor plans range from studios to three-bedroom lofts, offering residents mill character paired with contemporary comfort. The buildings once supported key textile operations at the mill, including yarn production.

“The Jenny + Westervelt reflect our commitment to preserving the character of this place while creating spaces that serve today’s residents,” Thomas F. Taft Jr., principal at Taft Family Ventures, said in the release. “These homes feel rooted in history yet completely modern and welcoming.”

Taft Family Ventures, a real estate investment and development firm based in Greenville, N.C., joined with Belmont Sayre, a privately held real estate investment and development company based in Chapel Hill, to transform the mill.

The opening of The Jenny + Westervelt also marks a major milestone in Judson Mill District‘s effort to preserve and restore the historic mill in a way that honors its past while looking toward its future, the developers said.

Belmont Sayre, Taft Family Ventures and Madrock Advisors have transformed over 800,000 square feet of former industrial space into a mix of housing, offices, restaurants, retail, entertainment, creative workspaces, and community uses. Today, more than 1,000 people live and work across the 36-acre campus.

“Today not only marks the completion of these incredible loft apartments, it also marks the completion of a vision that began several years ago and has grown into something truly special,” Ken Reiter, co-developer of Judson Mill District and president of Belmont Sayre, said in the release. “We set out to honor the legacy of this site while creating a place that feels alive, connected and welcoming — and The Jenny + Westervelt bring that vision to life.”

Judson Mill District has earned multiple recognitions for its redevelopment and design, including the Greenville Chamber’s Max M. Heller Neighborhood Improvement Award and honors from the Greenville and South Carolina chapters of the American Institute of Architects.

“Judson Mill has become a vibrant and accessible neighborhood that reflects both the history and the ongoing growth of Greenville’s west side,” Butch Kirven, former Greenville County Council chairman, said in the release. While on the council, Kirvin played a role in getting the project off the ground. “The Jenny + Westervelt complete a transformation that will continue to shape this community in meaningful ways for years to come.”

Once the largest textile mill in Greenville County and an integral part of Greenville’s Mill Crescent wrapping the city’s west side, Judson Mill District is now home to office, restaurant, retail, entertainment and residential spaces.