Plans for the old Herald site in downtown Rock Hill changed. Here’s the latest
The former Rock Hill Herald newspaper site in downtown has new development plans -- again.
Apartments, commercial space and parking could come, pending a city planning commission decision on Tuesday night.
Site plan approval has been requested, and involves more than seven acres at 132 W. Main St. A total of 15 lots would combine into one in an area bounded by West Main, Dave Lyle Boulevard, Wilson and White streets.
Submitted plans from engineering firm Hoyt + Berenyi of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., show a three-story apartment building with 300 units, three new commercial buildings and a five-story parking deck. Two commercial buildings would be two-story, the other one-story. They would combine for 26,000 square feet of commercial space.
Multiple buildings on the site, including the former Herald offices, distribution and printing areas, would be demolished.
For decades the Herald operated out of the buildings at West Main Street and Dave Lyle Boulevard.
City and private development efforts led to a redevelopment plan for senior residential space, dubbed by one economic development official three years ago as “Westminster Towers for the 21st century.” The plan also had a parking deck and pedestrian bridge connection over Dave Lyle Boulevard.
Initial redevelopment plans ran through Blue Wall Development of Greenville, S.C. The former Herald site was part of more than half a billion dollars of planned downtown redevelopment by late 2019.
Several title issues at the property caused some delay, including a rail line spur there. Still, the site got an approval from the city in February 2020 for five buildings, seven townhomes and a parking garage. The largest building was a planned senior living site.
The new site plan shows access points off both West Main and West White streets. A private access drive would connect the two streets. There is no access proposed to Wilson Street, as the previous plan had.
Plans show space that could accommodate potential business or professional offices, retail and banking along with the new apartments. The parking garage would offer more than 730 parking spaces.
The site will have internal sidewalks, a new sidewalk along West Main and will keep the pedestrian skyway bridge concept that will connect the site with proposed development across Dave Lyle.
