The Asheville nonprofit organization Givens Communities purchased the former Clinchfield Mill building at 56 Branch St. in Marion on Wednesday.
The McDowell News first reported on the potential deal in July.
Givens received a $3 million grant from the Dogwood Health Trust to purchase the property for development of affordable housing. Givens is currently applying to have the site added to the National Register of Historic Places and plans to preserve the historic integrity of the site, according to a news release.
Over the course of 2023, Givens Communities will apply for various federal and state funding to create affordable housing at the Clinchfield Mill site. Construction is not anticipated for at least a year, except where necessary to preserve structures.
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Givens leadership has been meeting with local officials and service providers for the past year to gain insight on how the former textile mill, land and other structures could best serve the surrounding community. Local stakeholders have provided valuable input and support for this project, according to Givens officials.
The Marion City Council authorized the property’s rezoning from M-1 industrial to R-3 mixed-use residential in July.
At the July meeting of the Marion City Council, the new housing project was revealed during the public hearing for adoption of a zoning map amendment. Planning and Development Director Heather Cotton stated at that time the property’s owner Chamad Inc. intended to sell the property to Givens Estate, Inc. for the purpose of developing senior housing, single-family residential housing and commercial uses, according to a previous story.
Cotton stated in July that Givens Estates would be seeking historic tax credits and mill tax credits to preserve the existing three-story brick facility and convert it into a senior house. She said that Dogwood Trust was partner in the project and would be providing the funding for the purchase of the property, according to a previous story.
Givens Communities is comprised of four distinct senior living communities, outreach ministries and partnerships that support older adults and their families, according to the news release.
For more information, go to givenscommunities.org.
