Cathy Cox
How do you take a 125-year-old textile mill and turn it into a versatile urban space for 21st-century Nova Scotians? Ask Cathy Cox. As project coordinator for Windsor’s Mill Island redevelopment, Cathy’s challenge is to tackle the renovation of the old mill, creating a mixed-use space with retail, residential, and light industrial uses.
For Cathy, the project is exciting work because of its ties to the community. “Many people in the Windsor area have family connections to the mill through relatives who worked there, so there is a strong sense of continuity,” says Cathy.
When it’s up and running, Mill Island will offer approximately 150 permanent jobs, a tax base, and a one-of-a-kind example of the concept of “adaptive re-use” of an older building in Nova Scotia.
“Creativity is important when pulling together a project like this, to turn a building of this size and age into something new while retaining its features, says Cathy. “For instance, many of the original elements and large equipment components will be retained in the Mill Island development. They’re now artifacts that will be used as art pieces dispersed throughout the complex.”
Many Nova Scotians have memories of the mill, even if they don’t live in Windsor. Cathy, herself, has driven by the landmark frequently over the past 30 years.
Cathy values the opportunity to contribute to her community through the mill’s redevelopment, and she is excited to be able to “recycle” the building, both in structure and in character for contemporary use while retaining its history.