Dixie Cup removal marks major step in former factory’s rebirth
Skyline Investment Group is removing the historic Dixie Cup from the former Dixie plant to refurbish it as the centerpiece of a community park while beginning a $180 million conversion of the building into apartments and amenities.
The skyline in Wilson Borough will look a little different after Thursday. The Dixie Cup that has sat upon the former Dixie plant for decades is coming down.
Removal of the cup was set to begin first thing in the morning.
But it’s not a sad day, said Brian Bartee, the Skyline Investment Group‘s developer of the project.
“It represents a new beginning,” Bartee said. “The energy here is unbelievable.”
The historic cup isn’t going away. It’s going to be refurbished and made the center piece of Dixie Cup Park, part of the conversion of the property to apartments. The park will be open to the community and will allow people to interact or have their photos take with it.
He also noted that the Dixie Cup image won’t be gone for long. His company plans to replace it with a replica that is more lightweight, but will still remind passersby of the historical significance of the building
The removal of the cup also marks the start of the build out of apartment units in the old factory building.
The $180 million conversion project calls for 405 apartments, office space, podcast space, a movie theater, indoor golf and pickleball, a public restaurant on site and is part of a larger community development project Skyline is undertaking, which will include the adjacent property it owns that was formerly an LA Fitness.
Bartee noted that it was a long time coming to get to this point.
Skyline has already spent $14 million of its own funds on the project, Bartee said, and he’s eager to get started on the next phase of construction.