Developer behind downtown Greensboro successes joins Revolution Mill team

A developer with a South Elm Street resume has been brought aboard as business development manager at Revolution Mill District, the former Cone Mills campus being redeveloped by Self-Help Ventures Fund.

Nick Piornack will be charged with forming partnerships and increasing exposure for the 45-acre property that also includes the neighboring Olympic Mills building.

"We're delighted to have Nick's energy, his commitment to Greensboro, and his ability to forge productive partnerships that will catalyze investment and create a new destination that people from across the Triad can enjoy," said Micah Kordsmeier, development manager for Revolution Mill.

Piornack, a managing partner of Raleigh-based Momentum Development Partners, has seen success in downtown within the last several years with the redevelopment of buildings off of South Elm Street into restaurants WORX and Spice Cantina as well as the event space, The Rail Yard.

Piornack serves on the board of Downtown Greensboro Inc. and was named the group's "Man of the Year" last year for his work on South Elm. He is also a founding member of the South End Neighborhood Group which is working on historic preservation in downtown.

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Exclusive: Building purchase adds another piece to Revolution Mill campus development

Self-Help Ventures Fund has purchased a final piece of the Revolution Mill property in eastern Greensboro that expands the mixed-used campus the Durham-based nonprofit is developing.

In a multipart real estate deal that got underway late last year, Self-Help this month completed its purchase of the Revolution Mill House at 2004 Yanceyville St., a nearly 100-year-old portion of the former Cone Mills plant that's operated as a storage unit business.

Jim Overton, Revolution Mill project manager, said last year Self-Help purchased the outstanding note for the building from its previous owners, Frank Aumanand Jim Peeples, who were also the previous owners of the remainder of Revolution Mill.

The idea in that initial step was to help Auman and Peeples to continue to unwind their investment in the former mill, while also paving the way for Self-Help to eventually purchase both the building and the storage business, which Auman and Peeples have operated as "A Self Storage Center."

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8 great public bathrooms in Greensboro

In honor of April Fool’s Day, we decided to have a little fun with this column. This month, we are noting our favorite bathrooms in Greensboro. Yes, it is entirely from a female perspective. And yes, it is entirely foolish.

1. Any Quaintance-Weaver property: Each is distinctive, reflecting the unique vibe of each restaurant or restaurant/hotel. We love the large black and white romantic posters at Lucky 32 (1421 Westover Terrace) and the contemporary style of Printworks Bistro (702 Green Valley Road). The understated elegance at Green Valley Grill (622 Green Valley Road) pairs well with its surroundings. The walls hold richly framed art work, and real flowers adorn the sink.

2. Vigilante Crossfit (1819 E. Spring Garden Street): It’s a guy’s kind of gym. With barbells and ropes. Metal lockers and wooden benches. And yet, the bathroom is really nice — and clean — for such a gritty gym. And the step-in, glass-encased shower is pretty cool too. Don’t worry it’s a single bathroom, not one for multiple users.

3. Josephine’s (2417 Spring Garden Street): The ladies room is small and feminine. But what we really like are the complimentary toiletry items. Because sometimes you need to pick your teeth, and you can’t predict when you’re going to need a safety pin.

4. The Forge (115 West Lewis Street): It’s a makerspace with a “hard area” designated for metal and woodworking, and a soft space for collaboration and socializing. But to see what’s so amazing about its bathrooms, you must look up. The tin ceiling tiles are more than a century old, and they are beautiful.

5. Revolution Mill Events Center (1160 Revolution Mill Dr.): They’re clean and opulent and spacious. Each stall is privately secured with its own wooden door. And you’ve got to check out the brass monkey toilet paper holders.

Check out the other great bathrooms on 1808 >>

In the News: Revolution Evolution

An iconic structure from Greensboro’s past as a textile empire continues its renovation for a second life as a mixed used complex.

Revolution Mill is part of a nearly two million square foot campus hidden away just blocks from State Street and Greensboro County Club.

Brothers Moses and Ceasar Cone started Revolution Mill in the 1890s after realizing that it would be easier to process the raw materials needed to make denim and other textiles closer to where the cotton was grown. Cone Mills operated the building until 1982.

Revolution Mill is symbolic of Greensboro’s history as a textile capital. Historic preservation efforts led by Self-Help Ventures Fund of Durham and architect Eddie Belk, are continuing to turn the space into a business and residential center with a style that fuses industrial and modern.

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In the News: Revolution Mill sold at auction to Self-Help

Self-Help Ventures Fund's bid of $8 million in a foreclosure auction for the historic Revolution Mill Studios property in Greensboro was successful and the Durham nonprofit will take ownership of the building.

In an announcement, Self-Help said it is currently making plans for future development of the former Cone Mills cotton mill on Yanceyville Street. The developers who started the restoration of the mill several years ago, Frank Auman and Jim Peeples, renovated a large portion of the building but halted construction in 2011 because they lacked financing and defaulted on debt payments.