Former Freedom Mill to Become Bennett’s Bridge Community for Adults With Special Needs
Bennett’s Bridge will convert the vacant Freedom Mill property in north Forsyth County into a community supporting adults with special needs, offering residential and social programs.
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A sprawling entertainment complex in north Forsyth County is preparing for a new role as a residential and community program for adults with special needs.
Bennett’s Bridge plans to transform the former Freedom Mill property at 2730 Spot Road, near the intersection of Dahlonega Highway. The nonprofit initiative, operated by Edlyn Healthcare Services, is moving forward after Forsyth County commissioners approved a zoning amendment Sept. 3.
The project will replace a business that combined a brewery, taproom, event venue, axe throwing and an indoor shooting range before closing unexpectedly in September 2025.
Bennett’s Bridge describes the future community as a place centered on friendship, purpose and active participation in the surrounding community. Its programs are intended to help adults with disabilities build relationships, develop greater independence and take part in social and everyday activities.
The organization had previously introduced the project as Freedom Village before adopting the Bennett’s Bridge name. The change reflects its emphasis on connecting participants with one another and with the wider Forsyth County community.
Edlyn Healthcare Services already provides home- and community-based support. The organization holds a three-year accreditation for a community housing program in Cumming through CARF International, an independent accreditor of health and human services.
The Spot Road project would give that work a much larger and more visible home.
The former Freedom Mill property contains approximately 37,725 square feet in two buildings on 3.22 acres. Existing features include a two-story gathering hall, smaller meeting and activity rooms, offices, a fenced courtyard and roughly 90 parking spaces.
Those spaces could accommodate shared meals, classes, recreation and social programs without requiring an entirely new campus to be built. The property’s location at a signalized intersection also places it within reach of established neighborhoods in west and north Forsyth.
County commissioners approved an amendment reducing the number of required parking spaces from 232 to 87. The change allows Bennett’s Bridge to reuse the existing site without devoting a substantial portion of the property to additional parking.
The property remains listed as pending rather than sold, indicating that the acquisition process is still being completed. Bennett’s Bridge has nevertheless publicly announced that the building will become its new home, describing the planned conversion as a transformation supported by county officials.
Reusing the building avoids one of the larger obstacles facing organizations that serve adults with disabilities: finding enough space for both private support and communal activity.
The former entertainment venue already has large rooms for gatherings alongside smaller areas that can be adapted for instruction, meetings or individualized services. Its courtyard could also provide an outdoor setting separated from the surrounding commercial traffic.
Bennett’s Bridge plans to establish the community at 2730 Spot Road in Cumming, with renovation and opening information expected as the property transfer moves forward.
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