HIGH POINT - High Point textile company Culp Inc. will be an anchor tenant in the new Congdon Yards campus downtown.
One of the world's largest manufacturers of mattress fabrics for residential and commercial furniture, Culp will lease the entire top floor of Plant 7 for a new design and innovation center.
"We think it's really in concert with the intent of Congdon Yards," said President and CEO Iv Culp. "I just see that as an innovation and an idea exchange area that's just so valuable for High Point. What we love about that is we're going to take our most innovative and creative minds, put them together more frequently and allow just really good ideas to flow."
Culp once had its offices downtown at 101 S. Main St. before moving to Eastchester Drive about 15 years ago.
Culp said the company’s office personnel will remain on Eastchester. About 10 designs and sales staffers will be permanently housed at Congdon Yards, he said, with as many as 20 people working there on a daily basis once the new 20,000-square-foot space is in use this fall.
"We are thrilled that a generational, innovative and global company like Culp has decided to re-establish a significant downtown presence," said Patrick Chapin, president and CEO of Business High Point - Chamber of Commerce, which led the development of Congdon Yards and is managing the campus.
"With them taking the entire top floor, some would call them an 'anchor tenant.' I call them an 'anchor advocate' because they believe in this transformational project and will be our partner in some very exciting things to come," Chapin said. "This is also very personal to me. Before Iv's father, Rob, passed away, he sat on our Board of Directors and helped set this vision for Business High Point several years ago. It is just a wonderful story about a great High Point family and very successful global company."
The $40 million campus is being opened in phases this spring after extensive renovations to two former hosiery mills in the 400 block of English Road funded by David Congdon, the Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation and other investors.
It includes offices, event space, common areas, a coffee bar and The Generator, a production and prototype facility for designers and the furniture industry.
Chapin said the office space is 95% leased, with tenants that include the High Point Community Foundation, Barbour Spangle Design and Barston Fabrics.
In addition to its mattress and upholstery business activities, designers for Culp's contract hospitality business line will play a role in the new design center.
"Really synergizing across several divisions in one location is super exciting for us," said Culp.
"We think it will be terrific for our business."
