Canal Authority believes abandoned Sibley Mill is full of potential (neighborhood, floors)

[Airforceguy]

It would be a game changer for the West End neighborhood if this building is renovated. Apparently, the Canal Authority is confident something could be announced for the Sibley Mill in the next 12 months...

The mill may be empty but it never stopped making money. Water from the Augusta Canal flows right into the building where these giant turbines have been spinning for years, producing electricity they sell to Georgia Power. Aside from a constant flow of free electricity, the massive mill offers four floors of wide open space.

"So there's about 36,000 square feet per floor. And the half floor is about half that."

All this space, times four, going up floor after floor. Speaking of the floors, there's a cement floor on the ground level and original hardwoods on every other level.

"Maple was the preferred flooring for textile mills due to the hardness of the wood," Sherrouse said looking at the expanse of hardwood stretching out in every direction.

There's history at every turn. Look up and you can still see the stain of indigo dye in a huge room where miles of cotton became the fabric of blue jeans. It's a tell-tale sign of the Levis produced here over the decades.

Climb the old forgotten staircase and you'll eventually find the roof, where we took in the view and talked about the future.

"Of course, our vision for this is to renovate them and put them back into productive use once again contributing the the local economy," he said.

To hear Sherrouse tell it, it's not a question of if, but when Sibley will spring back to life.

(News 12) "How hopeful are you right now that the future is looking bright for this mill?"

"Well, we're very optimistic right now," Sherrouse said. "We've got a lot of interest in it, so we're very optimistic that something is going to happen in the next 12 months on this particular mill."

If you look around Augusta, you'll see the success stories. Enterprise mill is a mixed use building with some business and some people even calling it home. And right across the street, Sutherland Mill is enjoying new life as a doctors office along with some other businesses.

Sibley Mill may be next.

Canal Authority believes abandoned Sibley Mill is full of potential