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A Modern Mill Town by 505Design at Cooper Carry
Kingsley Town Center is a mixed-use development in Fort Mill, South Carolina that knits a textile heritage into a community-focused future. Located just south of Charlotte, North Carolina at the intersection of SC Highway 160 and Interstate 77, this 150-acre development is envisioned to comprise 1.5 million square feet of commercial space with multiple corporate headquarters, retail offerings, restaurants, offices, hotels, and multi-family apartments at full build-out. Once a sleepy Southern mill town, Fort Mill is now a growing suburban hub for families and businesses alike. Kingsley was developed by Clear Springs Development, the local real estate arm of the founding family of Springmaid Industries, a former leading textile manufacturer. In collaboration with two Charlotte-based firms - 505Design at Cooper Carry and LandDesign, Inc. - Clear Springs Development crafted an overall vision for Kingsley that honors the mill town's industrial history and textile legacy while creating an engaging destination for generations to come. Room To ExploreFrom Textile Way to Broadcloth Street and beyond, Kingsley is a close-knit, heirloom community that encourages visitors to relax and wander past dining gardens, festivals, markets, and other social spaces, culminating at the development's shining centerpiece - a four-acre lake. Implementation of the master plan began in 2016 and will continue for the next several decades. Phase 1 was completed in 2021, encompassing 14 buildings that include a Courtyard Marriott, restaurants, and mixed-use retail shops. The completion of the first phase was an integral part of realizing Kingsley's vision and creating a sense of place for the community, establishing a solid foundation for the build-out of the remaining master plan. Following The Thread As part of the overall design process, the team worked closely with an archivist, digging through countless photos, documents, and a vast textile pattern collection spanning numerous decades. The information gathered has been carefully woven into an overall narrative told through thoughtful planning, landscape, architecture, and environmental graphic design components. The story is told both overtly on curated interpretive information panels and subtly through uniquely crafted architectural and graphic details found throughout the property that connect the past to the present day. Kingsley Town Center's architectural design is also inspired by the regional textile vernacular. The building forms evoke the character of former mill towns scattered throughout the Carolinas but with a fresh, modern twist. The design intent was to be authentic without being contrived. The StackAn iconic signage feature, "The Stack," became the first structure built at Kingsley, signifying the mixed-used development to come. Two 50-foot-long sections of Corten steel that were originally destined for overseas were trucked in from Alabama and repurposed for the location. At 100 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter, "The Stack" harkens back to the brick smokestacks of old. Graphic story-telling panels located at the base of "The Stack" provide guests a brief history of Springmaid Industries, its family members, and the Town of Fort Mill's textile heritage while also serving as custom lighting stanchions that illuminate the development's signage. All In The DetailsThoughtfully designed one- and two-story mixed-use retail buildings are found at the heart of Kingsley. While the material palette is relatively simple - consisting primarily of brick, steel, and wood - each building has a unique character that contributes to the comprehensive design aesthetic. Hand-painted tiles, terracotta copings, bold pops of color, and brick details are found throughout Kingsley. Additionally, stained timber structures, wood ceilings, and exterior cladding provide warmth to the moments of craft and whimsy, balancing familiarity and intrigue for tenants and visitors alike. The graphics, signage, and wayfinding blend the historical and contemporary materials palette. Nods to Springmaid Industries' textile legacy are found in the stitching patterns integrated into the bollards, directional signage, and directories guiding visitors through Kingsley. Imagery discovered in the Springs Collective textile archives influenced many of the painted murals, extending the branding and storytelling of the overall Kingsley vision. These details invite a connection to the past and present through intricate brick coursing, laser-cut patterning, and painted building graphics that provide a historical timeline spanning the development. Nature At The CenterThe landscape at Kingsley brings the surrounding natural environment into the streetscape and amenity areas. Complete with European-style plazas, the retail areas present a rich collection of murals, brickwork, paving patterns, and integrated seating and lighting that present industrial details on a comfortable scale. Thousands of ornamental grasses span the landscape, providing all-season texture, movement, and interest. Planters throughout the landscape create edges and guide pedestrian traffic.
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LASN Editorial Call - December 2025 Commercial & Retail Development Issue
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