Signal Mill shows off renovations to benefit day care center

David Woodbery, developer and owner of the future Signal Mill office and retail development, stands in the historic building last July, before renovations began. Signal Mill recently had its preview party. (Staff photo by Dan Henry)
David Woodbery, developer and owner of the future Signal Mill office and retail development, stands in the historic building last July, before renovations began. Signal Mill recently had its preview party. (Staff photo by Dan Henry)

In 1917, Little Miss Mag Early Learning Center's child care services made work possible for many employees at Signal Knitting Mills. Now, a century later, that debt has finally been repaid.

The two Chattanooga staples celebrated their shared history during a preview party for the newly renovated and renamed Signal Mill June 1.

The century-old textile mill on Manufacturers Road was purchased last July by The Woodbery Group, which converted it from an antiques mall into retail and office space.

"We fell in love with the building because of the historical aspect of it, the location and the condition," said David Woodbery, president of the Atlanta-based real estate development agency. "They built it right when they built it 100 years ago. Hopefully, it has another 100 years in front of it."

photo Formerly Knitting Mill Antiques, the recently purchased property has become the Signal Mill office and retail development complex. (Staff photo by Dan Henry)

Last week, locals got their first look at the upgraded building when they toured the 60,000-square-foot structure and welcomed its four already-established tenants. Attendees were invited to sample delicacies from Edley's Bar-B-Que, Mean Mug Coffeehouse and Food Works, as well as test their fly casting skills at Blue Ridge Fly Fishing.

Woodbery said the agency is currently in negotiations with other potential tenants, and he expects the space could hold five to 11 more, depending on their size.

"We're working with all our neighbors to make it a destination - not just Signal Mill, but that area in North Shore," he said. "We want people to be able to come to the area and have enough to do to make it an all-day event."

The event didn't just offer a sneak peak; proceeds from the event went to Little Miss Mag, which celebrated 100 years of caring in April.

The two historic entities' stories intersected when Little Miss Mag opened to care for children during World War I. Due to war-related money shortages, many women were forced to leave their children home unattended while they worked in factories. At the mayor's request, a local woman started hosting children in her home, and it became one of the first day care centers in Chattanooga for children with working mothers.

Among the first group of mothers to send their children to Little Miss Mag were those working at Signal Knitting Mills, which employed mostly women during its 70 years in operation.

"There's a lot of benefit that Little Miss Mag has given the people who worked at Signal Mill by being a resource for them," Woodbery said.

That isn't the only reason The Woodbery Group selected the day care for the fundraiser, he added. Little Miss Mag strives to prepare children academically, emotionally and socially for kindergarten through daily routines, free exploration and activities appropriate for each stage of development. But most importantly, said Executive Director Tracy Bryant, the nonprofit center provides this service to children from all walks of life by accepting payments on a sliding scale based on household income.

"All children are deserving of a high-quality early learning experience regardless of their parents' socioeconomic status," said Bryant.

Woodbery agrees.

"They perform a service that's kind of dear to my heart," said Woodbery, whose mother was a teacher and a strong believer in early childhood learning. "That's something we believe in."

Those who attended the event were able to meet with staff from the nonprofit and learn about the work they do. The money raised from the event will be used for scholarships to ensure that Little Miss Mag can continue to enroll children of all income levels for another 100 years.

"We're extremely grateful for any dollars that we receive that can help us continue helping families in need," Bryant said.

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