The Town of Vinton is seeking public input on the future of the historic Gish’s Mill site. A community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Vinton War Memorial to discuss conceptual plans for the preservation and redevelopment of Gish’s Mill, which is located on Gus Nicks Boulevard at one of the gateways to Vinton.

Possible redevelopment opportunities will be discussed.

David Hill of Hill Studio and members of the Vinton town staff are eager to receive comments and ideas from the public

Hill briefed Town Council members at a recent meeting on a conceptual planning study of the property completed to assess its redevelopment potential. A structural assessment, historical inventory, land-use/zoning assessment, and the development of three conceptual renderings representing possible uses of the property made up his presentation and will be on display at the open house as well.

One plan, the “Quirky Hospitality” plan, would include guestrooms, a small breakfast restaurant, an outdoor grill and bar, and retail space in a “Mill Store” for the sale of local products.

The “Destination Restaurant” plan would include a larger restaurant, bar, and an outdoor grill featuring local foods and seating about 100, along with a Mill Store. There would also be space for an outfitter retailer with hiking and climbing gear for the greenway and potential climbing walls using the concrete silos on the property. This plan also envisions movie nights in warm weather, using the blank walls of the mill.

The “Curated Mercantile/Residential” plan includes a Vinton Welcome Center, space for a Vinton Winter Market/Summer Landscape Retail Center, with several apartments on the upper level. There would also be an outdoor grill.

Assistant Town Manager/Economic Development Director Richard “Pete” Peters said at the council meeting that once the public helps shape the plans, Requests for Proposals could be issued to evaluate the private sector interest in redevelopment of the historic site. The town seeks to maintain the historic value of the property, but put it back into public use, financed by the private sector.

The council briefing also included discussion of possible funding sources for redevelopment, especially if historic tax credits are eliminated in the federal budget and proposed tax reforms now under consideration in  Congress.

Mike Pulice from the Department of Historic Resources indicated in a past preliminary study of the mill that the original section of the structure might be eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places.

For more information contact Peters by email at rpeters@vintonva.gov or by phone at 983-0607.