From Old to New: A Tour of the Historic EW Montgomery Building
A view of the exterior of the second floor common room, which previously served as the cotton inspection room. Photo provided by Donna Gilley
On a brisk and overcast February morning a small group gathered at the historic E. W. Montgomery Cotton Warehouse, now known as the Elements West Apartments, on Green Avenue in Greenville. A historic building that played a significant role in the development of the city's cotton industry, the warehouse was used to store and trade cotton when the industry first began its economic ascendance in the early 20th century. Originally built in 1928 with three additions added in quick succession in 1933, the 553-foot-long building is a shining example of the beauty and dedication required to reimagine and restore historic structures.
Though it takes devoted people many years to make a project like this come to fruition, there has been one family at the heart of it all. Various members of the Gilley family have worked on each step of the project in a variety of capacities. Donna and Jerry Gilley first began researching the E. W. Montgomery Cotton Warehouse when Jerry worked with a group of developers to redevelop the property. Donna, seeing the building’s incredible potential and its rich history, began the long process of researching the warehouse, successfully getting the building named to the National Registry of Historic Places in 2012.
Developer Jerry Gilley and his son Nicholas (who also served as the contractor on the project) describe the process for redeveloping the EW Montgomery building. Photo by Karis Sutherland
This significant triumph allowed the Gilleys to secure more funding through various state and federal historic preservation tax credit programs. The redevelopment officially began in 2014. Though the process was arduous, Jerry Gilley explained that it was very much worth it for them from a business perspective, and that this building most likely would not have been saved without the benefit of the tax credits. Partially due to the tax credits, the rents for Elements West’s 60 units are below the market rate within Greenville.
The project, however, was slowed by a number of setbacks. First, a fire broke out just after they closed on the property that added a significant amount of time to the project. Next, the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous delays, and added months to the renovation’s timeline.
The contractor for the renovation was Donna and Jerry Gilley’s son, Nick Gilley, president of Base 360 General Contractors. Nick and his company had the technical and engineering expertise to preserve and retain the building's historic elements, such as the unique thick wooden floors and exposed brick walls. They also incorporated the original door to the warehouse safe into one of the units. Sourcing and recreating the metal-laced skylight windows of the original Cotton Classing Room are an example of how every detail and element were thoughtfully considered and crafted to set this project apart.
Participants exploring the exterior colonnade. Photo by Erin Farry
During Upstate Preservation Trust’s tour, the group enjoyed touring several units and many of the common areas of Elements West, with Donna and Jerry serving as our guides. The Gilleys emphasized the importance of having the right team when taking on such a large renovation. Their team included the architects of Atelier Architecture and John Tennison out of Tampa, Florida, worked on this project, and Base 360 served as the contractors.
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