Rock Hill council defers final vote on Knowledge Park master plan

Plans for the former Rock Hill Printing & Finishing Co. site have been put on hold, at least for now.

The Rock Hill City Council on Monday voted to defer final reading of the Knowledge Park master plan for site, also known as the Bleachery, located between the downtown business district and Winthrop University.

Just two weeks earlier, council members had approved first reading of the plan – including details for commercial and housing development in a planned $200 million investment.

But the city attorney recommended putting off final approval while the city considers changes to the development and financial agreements with developer Sora-Phelps. In the same meeting Monday, the council approved an extended 60-day inspection period to its development schedule with Sora-Phelps, which city attorney Paul Dillingham said would allow more time for contractual negotiations and possibly other changes to the schedule.

The council voted unanimously to defer the master plan, while voting 5-1 to extend the development schedule to April 25. Councilman Kevin Sutton, who has been critical of the developer in the past, cast the lone vote against. Councilwoman Kathy Pender was absent.

Stephen Turner, the city’s economic development director, said after the meeting some changes under negotation could alter the master plan by putting additional uses into the former Bleachery site. The plan previously approved by the council calls for a mix of shops, offices and restaurants alongside multifamily housing, senior living spaces, a hotel and dormitory-style housing for Winthrop students.

Turner said construction on the site should still begin later this year.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Rock Hill council defers final vote on Knowledge Park master plan."