As home to Gailor, Wallis & Hunt, PLLC the old Pilot Mill Building is the ideal location for our practice. Its blend of history, endurance, and work ethic provide the perfect setting for our daily work life. In fact, renovation of the mill was a project of Frank Gailor, Carole’s husband.

Built in three phases, with each building named after the year it was constructed, Pilot Mill consists of The 1892 Building, The 1903 Building (our home) and The 1910 Building. In 1910, Pilot Mill’s 425 looms, 11,000 spindles and 300 workers transformed 5,000 bales of cotton into 8 million yards of cloth. Production continued until the late 1970’s.

After a period of use as a warehouse, Pilot Mill was purchased for redevelopment in 1988. That development was foreclosed, and in 1997, Hedgehog Holdings joined in purchasing the property. Condemnation was threatened weeks after the owners took title, but the City of Raleigh agreed to allow time to try and save the old mill.

Confirmation that the buildings had not deteriorated past the point of eligibility for National Register status, allowed the project to qualify for state and federal tax credits, and obtain financing. Soon rehabilitation began with a project team that included Cahec, Belk Architects and Partner’s Construction, Inc.

Each of the building’s unique elements was carefully restored to its original condition. All salvageable materials were reused. Materials that could not be salvaged were replaced with either custom-made materials or materials from a South Carolina mill that was being demolished.

Pilot Mill now houses Raleigh Charter High School, Gailor, Wallis & Associates, the Triangle Land Conservancy and the YWCA Central Administration among other tenants. Recently, Pilot Mill received the Capital Area Preservation’s Anthemion Award and the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Community Appearance.

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