About The Mitchell Building
The Mitchell began life in 1946 as the first Chevrolet dealership in southern Wake County. Joseph "Mack" Mitchell took advantage of early pre-engineered building construction to build this 11,250 square foot structure.
The large, open space was created with the use of eight huge parabolic steel trusses made and stamped by Bethlehem Steel. They span the full 70-foot width and allow great flexibility in the current upfit of this building. Read more history.
The philosophy of the Mitchell renovation from the beginning has been to blend preservation with renewable energy to achieve revitalization.
The modern aspects of the renovation include energy efficient windows, hvac systems, lighting and fixtures and Fuquay-Varina's first photovoltaic (PV) rooftop system. The 10kw rooftop system includes (80) 72" x 18" wide 1/4" flexible solar panels. Their energy capture is routed through inverters and to a meter that feeds electricity back to Progress Energy's electrical grid.
Throughout the renovation project the owners incorporated efforts to preserve the facade, envelope and historical features of the building. Read our blog for more interesting facts about solar energy.
Ground Floor
The ground floor of the building measures 7,850 square feet and has been subdivided into three great spaces.
Flex Space A is a 1,977 square foot space in the rear quarter of the building. Inside, look up and you'll see a 26 ft high ceiling painted matte black, with silver Bethlehem Steel trusses and (2) Energy Star heating and cooling systems with silver spiral ductwork. This space has fantastic natural lighting, with large energy efficient windows lining East Academy Street and the rear of the building. Entrances are located on East Academy Street and in the rear of the building off of the parking lot.
Flex Space B is a fantastic 2,802 square foot space at the corner of South Main and Academy Streets. There is arguably no place in Southern Wake County with greater visibility or traffic flow. It also features a 26 ft high ceiling with exposed silver Bethlehem Steel trusses and spiral ducted heating and cooling systems. Large showroom windows line both South Main and Academy Streets offering a great view into (and out of) this space. There are entrances on both South Main and Academy Streets.
Flex Space C is a 3,000 square foot space. The large showroom windows in this space face busy South Main Street. This space also features high ceilings and trusses and spiral ductwork painted fire-engine red. The south wall is painted brick. Prior to 1948 this wall was the exterior wall of what was then Sessoms Food Market.
Underground Space
Flex Space D is the 'underground' space. This 3,024 square foot space used to house Mitchell Chevrolet's paint shop and is located beneath Flex Space A. A ramp that autos used to access this basement space has been removed and replaced with a stairwell for access. The original layout remains and includes steel I-beams vertically positioned on cylindrical concrete piers to support the steel and concrete ceiling. Any tenant that is looking to go 'underground' will love this space.
Building Features
A common area off of Academy allows access to all units. Enlarged vintage photos will be hung on the walls in this area to tell the story of the Mitchell Building - one of the icons of Fuquay-Varina's past. A common area in the rear allows access to Flex Spaces A, B and D (underground). Brick walls here are exposed, as are the pockets that once held beams over the old ramp. Hung in this space will be 'The Old Blue Door'. Panels from the old blue overhead door that once hung at the rear of Mitchell Chevrolet have been restored and turned into oversized picture frames that tell the Mitchell's story of renovation, preservation, renewable energy, and revitalization.
The current owners, who have other properties in downtown Fuquay-Varina, will attract new businesses to the core of this historic town. The development and growing population of this once-sleepy southern town have created a demand for additional shopping and dining opportunities for the thriving, family-oriented community.
A successful downtown revitalization program, an active Chamber of Commerce and a town government committed to economic development have helped create a healthy business climate.
