The Mill On Flax Grand Opening: Honoring Delaware, Ohio's Past While Building Its Future
From adaptive reuse to modern housing, this milestone celebrated the partnerships and progress shaping the city’s future.
What was once a quiet reminder of Delaware’s industrial past is now the foundation for its next chapter.
We joined community leaders and project partners to celebrate the ribbon cutting of The Mill on Flax—a bold adaptive reuse project transforming the former Delaware Chair Company factory and five-acre riverfront site into a new residential and commercial district in the heart of the city of Delaware, OH.
The original 1863 flax mill structure, once home to various industrial operations, now anchors a development that blends historic character with modern living.
Built on Delaware’s east bank of the Olentangy River, the project includes five new walk-up buildings totaling 162 units, framing the existing factory building, which has been transformed into a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse with leasable commercial office spaces.
Residents will enjoy amenities such as a central pool, fitness center, clubhouse, and a new riverfront trail connection to Central Ohio’s bike system.
Though dormant for decades, the factory’s restoration and adaptive reuse preserves a meaningful piece of the city’s past while re-envisioning a neighborhood long shaped by industry and community.
“We have an opportunity, as part of the river plan, to take this project and make it a catalyst—to trace down the river and continue with this kind of development momentum to connect the downtown Delaware area across the river and make it work,” says Matt Canterbury of The Daimler Group.
This milestone reflects years of collaboration between RiverWest Partners, The Daimler Group, Tri-W Group, the City of Delaware, and the Delaware County Finance Authority.
The Mill on Flax marks a major step in the revitalization of Delaware’s historic Riverfront District—and is proof that even the most complex redevelopment sites can become reality when private capital is aligned with strategic support from city, county, and state partners.
Poolside view of walk-up apartments.
Once a chair factory—now a resident clubhouse with leasable commercial office space.
Interior clubhouse space with historically-minded furniture and accents.
BEFORE: Second story of the historic Delaware Chair Company factory.
AFTER: Ready for commercial tennants!
Thank you to our partners
- Client – The Daimler Group + RiverWest Partners
- Developer – The Daimler Group + RiverWest Partners
- General Contractor – The Daimler Group
- Civil Engineer – Osborn Engineering
- MEP – EM Engineering Group
- Structural Engineer – Schaefer
- Landscape – REALM Collaborative
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