ELLICOTT MILL

Historic Rehabilitation Project

Ellicott Mill is an historic rehabilitation project of an eight-story flour mill constructed in 1916 (currently Wilkins-Rogers) by the developer Terra Nova Ventures. The plan acknowledges the building and site’s history, while providing for adaptive re-use that will preserve the building. With an industrial use no longer being viable, the plan is to preserve the building by converting it to 190 apartments, a destination restaurant, some retail and a historic display.

  • Past

    1931 Patapsco Mill Rendering

  • Present

    Wilkins-Rogers Flour Mill

  • Future

    Ellicott Mill

  • Location

    • The property straddles the Patapsco River north and south of the bridge into Ellicott City, with portions of the property located in both Baltimore County and Howard County.

    • The site is where the Ellicott brothers opened the first merchant flour mill in Maryland in 1774.

    • When the B&O Railroad ran the first commercial railroad in the nation from Baltimore to Ellicott City in 1831, a railroad spur was constructed from the main line across the Patapsco River to the Ellicotts’ flour mill.

  • Historic Preservation Project

    • This is an historic rehabilitation project of an eight-story flour mill constructed in 1916.

    • It was the last extant flour mill operating in Maryland.

    • Our plan acknowledges the building and site’s history, while providing for adaptive re-use that will preserve the building.

    • It was an active flour mill for most of its 100 years of existence, until it ceased operations in 2020.

    • With an industrial use no longer being viable, the plan is to preserve the building by adaptive re-use by converting it to apartments, and a small amount of retail compatible with the building and its location.

  • Most Recent Use

    • While in use as a flour mill, up to 130 workers were employed at its peak.

    • During most of the period of its use, and up until 2020, tractor trailer trucks brought grain and other products employed in the production of flour to the site on a daily basis, and tractor trailers took product away for distribution.

  • Planned Historic Adaptive Re-use

    • 190 rental apartments, consisting mostly of studios and one-bedrooms, and a few two-bedroom units.

    • 4,975 square feet of retail outdoor sporting goods and activities.

    • a destination restaurant with an outdoor deck overlooking the Patapsco River.

    • a 945 square foot historic display that showcases historical elements from the site and the building environs.

    • Preservation and visual enhancement of the steel trestle railroad bridge which was a spur from the former B & O Railroad line (now CSX) located on the opposite side of the river.

A Plan for the Adaptive Reuse & Preservation of Ellicott Mill

In Part One, the property developer and founder of Terra Nova Ventures, David Tufaro, explains how he followed his passion for historic preservation and then steps-through his track record of successfully adapting old industrial buildings to new uses — Mill No. 1 and Whitehall Mill along the Jones Falls in Baltimore.

An Updated Plan from the developer was added May 2022 to show the changes made as a result of comments from the community and county agencies.

MKCREATIVEmedia: A Video Production & Marketing Consultancy Working with Nonprofit Organizations & Federal Agencies

Video produced by MKCREATIVEmedia

Terra Nova Ventures

Terra Nova Ventures, LLC, is a real estate development firm focusing on the development of unique, challenging sites, including adaptive re-use of historic structures.

Terra Nova Ventures has successfully adapted two other industrial buildings - Mill No. 1 and Whitehall Mill in Baltimore City.

Our Partners

Architect

Civil Engineer/Landscape Architect

Attorney