An ambitious plan by the city of Gastonia, North Carolina to redevelop the West Franklin Boulevard corridor is piecing up following the launch of two more projects. The city recently broke ground for two more projects at the Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment District (FUSE District).
Among the projects being developed in the FUSE District is the $26.2 million ballpark which is nearing completion is set to be launched in the spring. The ballpark will be home to an independent league professional baseball team.
Construction of the ballpark was launched last October and currently, the seating, as well as the multipurpose field, are all complete.
Redevelopment of Trenton Mill building
Among the two projects that broke ground recently include the redevelopment of the old Trenton Mill building which is being undertaken by Florida-based Lansing Melbourne Group (LMG). This project has been going on for a couple of months now and involves the construction of 89 loft apartments.
Another project that was launched is the redevelopment of a historic former Coca-Cola bottling plant. The 5,000-square-foot space will be used by Durham-based Durty Bull Brewing Co. It will be the first restaurant tenant in the FUSE District.
During the launch of the new projects, Brandon Bellamy, the CEO of Maryland-based commercial real estate firm Velocity Cos was announced as the owner of the baseball team that will play in the ballpark. There are several other developments that are expected to come up around the FUSE ballpark.
The historical significance of Trenton Mill
The Trenton Mill plan will involve the development of a new building at a site that has a lot of historical significance to the people of Gastonia. The Trenton Mill employed millions of people in the region from the 1890s. According to Peter Flotz, managing member for LMG, it is this historical significance that necessitated the building’s redevelopment. The redevelopment of Trenton Mill is expected to cost $24.4 million and scheduled to be completed next year.
