Tresa Lyle Loves Where She Lives

“Love where you live” is a phrase that pops up anytime a city, town, or neighborhood is being revitalized. You’ll see it on t-shirts, stickers, and murals whenever a community is rediscovering itself and trying to muster up some team spirit.

But in Poe Mill, we don’t just say it—we see it. And one of the clearest examples is Tresa Lyle.

Tresa lives in Poe Mill, though not quite like anyone else. Her home is the last remaining piece of the original mill property—the old Poe Mill office building itself.

isaaccropsey.com

She’s long been familiar with the area, having grown up on Paris Mountain, and even has family roots that trace back to Poe Mill. In 2005, when she discovered the old office building was for sale, she saw what others didn’t: potential. She bought the property, moved in with her kids, and has been there ever since.

The building is huge and historical—10,000 square feet spread over three stories, with dozens of rooms. While textiles were never made there, this was once the mill’s administrative wing. It even included a convenience store for workers and a space where church services were held for village congregations that didn’t yet have their own building. Walking through it feels like stepping into Greenville’s early boom, back when it was first called “the textile capital of the world.”

Across the street lies what used to be the main mill complex. After it burned down in 2003, its concrete foundation was transformed into a skate park. Over the years, Tresa has loved watching new generations of skaters come and go—young kids learning to drop in, then growing up, and heading to college, or starting careers.

Step inside the Poe Mill office today, and you’re greeted by history everywhere you look—artwork of the old mill by local legend Jared Emerson, a grand staircase, exposed brick, wood, and iron throughout. The first visit takes your breath away.

Downstairs stretches one of the longest hallways you’ll ever see, lined with doors leading to rooms that serve as studios, offices, or apartments. Each one feels like a loft, with soaring ceilings and unique character.

Tresa’s father was a builder, so she learned carpentry skills early in life. She can handle nearly any construction task herself, which has allowed her to transform the building into something truly one-of-a-kind.

You see that creativity most clearly in the spaces she and her family occupy—especially in the old office of F.W. Poe himself. This corner of the building was where Poe once ran the mill in the late 1800s. The original fireplace and feel of the room is still intact. Tresa added a kitchen, turned the bump-out nook (added later by Poe’s brother, Nelson) into a cozy reading corner, and redesigned the living area for conversation and contemplation.

Tresa sitting in her living room, which is the former office of F.W. Poe. Photo by IsaacCropsey.com

Tresa bought the building because it gave her a sense of hope—hope for the building itself, for the community around it, and for its future. For the past twenty years, she’s held on to that vision through both prosperous times—like when she had dozens of tenants and a waitlist of artists seeking studio space—and hard seasons, like the 2008 housing crash.

She hasn’t given up because she loves where she lives.

Her dream is to bring hope and connection to Poe Mill—whether it’s retirees on fixed incomes, parents working long hours to make ends meet, or teens trying to finish high school. She wants the neighborhood to flourish for everyone.

And she’s using her space to make that happen. Tresa envisions the old mill office as a community hub—a place for neighborhood gatherings, artist showcases, small business pop-ups, and even Christmas events where families can sip cocoa and take photos together.

She’s ready to collaborate, to host, and to welcome ideas. And she’s ready for this right now. Tresa doesn’t want to wait until Poe Mill is fully gentrified or reinvented with newcomers and new attractions—she’s building community now, because she already loves where she lives.

If you’d like to connect with Tresa about renting space or hosting your next event, reach out to Griggs Church, and we’ll make sure to put you in touch.

This article origionally appeared in Griggs Church’s community newspaper: Saltbox Quarterly.