Meanwhile, the city’s planning board is expected to review a revised site plan for the long-dormant former Kingsdown mattress factory site in downtown Mebane at its next meeting.
Called The District on Washington, a preliminary plan filed earlier this year by a South Carolina developer calls for the construction of a mixed-use development that would have 87 three-bedroom townhouses and 9,600 square feet of retail space at the corner of West Washington and Third streets.
Mebane’s city council had approved a rezoning request for a different developer in October 2022 to build 217 apartments in four-story buildings and retail space for the two blocks along West Washington Street, between Mebane’s city hall and library, that had been occupied for decades by the Kingsdown mattress factory, one of the city’s oldest and most successful industries.
However, the project stalled and the property was sold to the South Carolina developer in August 2023 for $3.3 million.
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Most of the site was razed in November 2023, though the two-story former “Cotton Building,” one of the oldest original Kingsdown buildings — – and the only one preserved by the original developer and still standing – would remain as a pavilion/clubhouse with 2,000 square feet.
Some parking for The District on Washington apparently would be on-street (27 spaces). The development would have another 181 regular parking spaces and 174 parking spaces in dedicated garages for the townhouses, for a total of 382 parking spaces, according to the latest plans filed with the city.
The new developer continues to cite an agreement with the nearby Mebane Methodist Church to use a parking lot along West Holt Street with 40 parking spaces, which would be available except on Sundays.
A request for rezoning has yet to be filed, according to Mebane city officials.
Following a review of the site plan by the city’s technical review committee (TRC) this spring, and the developer indicated several potential changes to the retail component of The District on Washington.
Mebane’s planning board the revised plan at its next meeting on July 14, city officials recently confirmed for the newspaper.
