A historic Anderson mill is getting a new life as developers break ground on Murray Mill Apartments, a $44 million redevelopment that will bring 156 residential units to downtown Anderson.

The project will transform the former mill property into a new residential community while preserving part of the site's industrial history. Of the 156 units planned, 18 will be loft-style apartments located within the restored historic mill structure.

The development adds another major housing investment to South Carolina's Upstate, where population growth and continued economic development are creating demand for new residential options.

Preserving History While Adding Housing

Murray Mill Apartments represents a growing trend across the Upstate: finding new uses for historic industrial properties instead of allowing them to remain vacant or underutilized.

The redevelopment will combine the character of the existing mill with modern residential construction, creating a community that connects Anderson's manufacturing past with its growing downtown.

The 18 loft units inside the restored mill will give the project a distinct component, while the remainder of the development will provide additional apartments designed for today's renters.

For Anderson, the project also means more residents living near downtown businesses, restaurants, services and other amenities.

A $44 Million Investment in Anderson

The size of the investment makes Murray Mill one of the more significant recent residential redevelopment projects in the area.

Adding 156 units will increase the city's available rental housing while putting a large amount of private capital into a property that might otherwise have remained underused.

For Realtors, investors and developers, projects like this can signal broader changes in an area's development potential. New housing can increase activity around nearby businesses and properties while helping bring more residents into established neighborhoods.

The project also demonstrates why historic properties can become valuable redevelopment opportunities. Rather than relying entirely on undeveloped land, developers can create new housing by reusing properties that already have a connection to the community.

What It Means for the Upstate Market

Anderson has benefited from the broader growth occurring throughout South Carolina's Upstate, with new investment and development changing communities across the region.

Murray Mill Apartments adds another piece to that growth by combining housing, historic preservation and downtown redevelopment.

As construction moves forward, the project will be one to watch for its impact on Anderson's rental market and surrounding development.

The bigger takeaway is that South Carolina's housing growth is not limited to new subdivisions and large apartment complexes on the outskirts of cities. Increasingly, developers are looking at historic properties and established neighborhoods as opportunities to create housing while preserving pieces of the state's industrial past.

Murray Mill Apartments is a $44 million example of that trend, bringing 156 new homes to downtown Anderson while giving a historic mill a new purpose.