‘A few items’ stand between hundreds of apartments coming to former Rock Hill Herald site
The long-time Herald newspaper site in Rock Hill could see construction soon that connects the property to other parts of downtown, pending an imminent property sale.
The city amended a sale agreement with Charlotte-based real estate investment firm White Point on Monday night. That developer bought the more than 5-acre newspaper site at 132 W. Main St. three years ago for $1.6 million. The city owns seven parcels at more than 2 acres along White Street, that White Point intends to purchase to grow the project.
“The deal is in hand, but there are still a few items to be negotiated,” Mayor John Gettys said when Rock Hill City County met Monday.
A decision came up Monday because closing on the property sale is expected before council’s next meeting on Dec. 9, he said.
Herald site redevelopment
The Herald wrote, printed and delivered its papers out of the large building between Main, White and Dave Lyle Boulevard for generations. In 2019, paper staff moved to another site on Main Street — leaving the larger building vacant.
Initial redevelopment plans included upscale senior living. Titling issues on the property caused by railroad spurs delayed work. A new developer, White Point, took over the project.
The city and White Point started work three years ago, with plans for more than 300 apartments. Of them, White Point committed to making 10% of them as workforce housing. That means rent would be less than the market rate, primed for workers like police officers, firefighters or teachers.
Holdover features from the prior plan included commercial areas along Dave Lyle, a parking deck and a pedestrian bridge across Dave Lyle that would connect the site to other restaurants and shops downtown.
The city and developer spent several months negotiating before Monday’s sale amendment, but key features like the parking deck and pedestrian bridge remain, said city attorney Paul Dillingham. Monday’s agreement allows city staff to make minor adjustments to complete the sale. It’s the 10th and expected final amendment to a deal reached in summer of last year.
Demolition at the former Herald site began two years ago. White Point has redevelopment experience in Charlotte, including Optimist Hall on Brevard Street, Dilworth Artisan Station in Kingston Avenue the Charlotte Transportation Center.
More Rock Hill development coming
The Herald site isn’t the only redevelopment ongoing in Rock Hill. Council agreed Monday to abandon a right of way easement on Anderson Road to allow for a new auto business. It was initially listed as a Gerber Automotive site but could be another collision, body work or repair place. The site is near the Pep Boys and Aldi stores at Cherry Road and Anderson.
“It’ll be a first-class, brand new facility,” Dillingham said.
The Tuttle Company applied for another new Rock Hill project, at 635 Dave Lyle Blvd. An undeveloped site just north of downtown, at Dave Lyle and the Trade Street Extension, would become a manufacturing site and warehouse for a maker of wastewater treatment parts.
The property is up for rezoning with the city. If approved, a new 16,000-square-foot building could be constructed.
