Here is a new press release about Cotton Mills for whoever it was that asked about the status of the project:
<div class="date">
December 4, 2008</p> </div>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
Contact:
Wendy Barthe Peavy, Marketing and Public Policy Director</p>
COMVEST Properties, LLC</p>
www.cottonmillatmsu.com
</p>
CottonMill Marketplace at Mississippi State University Progress Update</p>
Starkville, MS, December 4, 2008 - With final approval from Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning Board for the purchase of MSU's historic E.E. Cooley Building, the developers of the CottonMill Marketplace at Mississippi State University in Starkville, have begun to move forward with their plans for the development. The approval is a significant milestone on the CottonMill Marketplace timeline.
</p>
This week work began on the environmental and structural assessments of the Cooley site. Project professionals with Covington and Associates, Cupkovic
Architecture and Harrell Construction will evaluate the former John M. Stone Cotton Mill in preparation for submittal of an Historic Renovation Application to
the United States' Department of the Interior and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). Renovation plans call for the building to be
converted into a conference center and office space. MDAH has been supportive of the developers' renovation plans and will meet with the group later this month
to assist in the application process.
</p>
Conventional Wisdom Corp, a management consulting firm specializing in public assembly venues, is coordinating interior restoration and design elements with
the project's architects to achieve a state of the art conference and meeting space.
</p>
CottonMill Marketplace's hotel, a Courtyard by Marriott brought to the project by Peachtree Hotel Group, is currently in the schematic design phase. Project
engineers and architects continue to coordinate the design of the hotel and its connectivity to the conference center.
</p>
Also nearing completion are plans for the residential elements of the project as well as parking, landscaping and green space. Additionally, the developers have
engaged MSU's Carl Small Town Center to provide analysis and design concepts pertaining to bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the campus, the
city, and CottonMill Marketplace.
</p>
As the project's due diligence moves forward the developers continue to secure interest commitments from national, regional and local retail and restaurant
prospects. Given the buzz generated at October's International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Atlanta Conference, the developers look forward to
next week's appointments at the New York ICSC Conference and Deal Making event.
</p>
A formal Ground Breaking and start of construction is slated for the first of the year, 2009.</p>
<div class="date">
December 4, 2008</p> </div>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
Contact:
Wendy Barthe Peavy, Marketing and Public Policy Director</p>
COMVEST Properties, LLC</p>
www.cottonmillatmsu.com
</p>
CottonMill Marketplace at Mississippi State University Progress Update</p>
Starkville, MS, December 4, 2008 - With final approval from Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning Board for the purchase of MSU's historic E.E. Cooley Building, the developers of the CottonMill Marketplace at Mississippi State University in Starkville, have begun to move forward with their plans for the development. The approval is a significant milestone on the CottonMill Marketplace timeline.
</p>
This week work began on the environmental and structural assessments of the Cooley site. Project professionals with Covington and Associates, Cupkovic
Architecture and Harrell Construction will evaluate the former John M. Stone Cotton Mill in preparation for submittal of an Historic Renovation Application to
the United States' Department of the Interior and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). Renovation plans call for the building to be
converted into a conference center and office space. MDAH has been supportive of the developers' renovation plans and will meet with the group later this month
to assist in the application process.
</p>
Conventional Wisdom Corp, a management consulting firm specializing in public assembly venues, is coordinating interior restoration and design elements with
the project's architects to achieve a state of the art conference and meeting space.
</p>
CottonMill Marketplace's hotel, a Courtyard by Marriott brought to the project by Peachtree Hotel Group, is currently in the schematic design phase. Project
engineers and architects continue to coordinate the design of the hotel and its connectivity to the conference center.
</p>
Also nearing completion are plans for the residential elements of the project as well as parking, landscaping and green space. Additionally, the developers have
engaged MSU's Carl Small Town Center to provide analysis and design concepts pertaining to bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the campus, the
city, and CottonMill Marketplace.
</p>
As the project's due diligence moves forward the developers continue to secure interest commitments from national, regional and local retail and restaurant
prospects. Given the buzz generated at October's International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Atlanta Conference, the developers look forward to
next week's appointments at the New York ICSC Conference and Deal Making event.
</p>
A formal Ground Breaking and start of construction is slated for the first of the year, 2009.</p>