Townes at Watts Mill

At the edge of downtown Laurens, where the streets open to the iconic smokestack of Watts Mill, a new story is being written. For more than a century, this 20-acre site anchored the community as a hub of industry and identity.

Now, it is poised to anchor Laurens once again – this time as a place to live, connect, and grow.

Our vision for Townes at Watts Mill blends preservation with progress. We will retain the mill’s original smokestack and boiler room as historic centerpieces while introducing a thoughtfully designed, 178-unit Class-A townhome community. This project will bring the first meaningful wave of new residential supply to Laurens in decades, delivering modern amenities, walkable design, and the sense of neighborhood belonging that today’s families seek.

But Watts Mill is about more than rooftops. It is about people. By focusing on workforce housing – teachers, nurses, first responders, and essential workers – we are addressing a critical gap in the local market. These are the individuals who sustain a community, yet many have been unable to live where they work. Townes at Watts Mill offers them a dignified, attainable housing option in the heart of Laurens.

The city itself is ready. Laurens is a picturesque Southern town with a historic courthouse square, charming streetscapes, and a growing economic base. What has been missing is the critical mass of residents to fully activate its potential. By bringing new life to Watts Mill, we are not only honoring the past – we are catalyzing a stronger, more inclusive future.

For our investors, the project represents disciplined execution and local partnership. CMP successfully secured the first-ever Special Source Revenue Credit (SSRC) for a residential project in Laurens County, a tax abatement that both enhances feasibility and strengthens returns. It is a tangible example of how we build alignment with community priorities to unlock long-term value.

This is what Watts Mill represents: a project rooted in history, designed for today, and built to shape a more resilient tomorrow – for Laurens, for its people, and for those who choose to invest in its future.