Developers pitch updated plan to convert York County mill property into homes, businesses
A revamped plan in Clover is set to convert another historic mill site into new homes and businesses.
An updated proposal is in for the town’s first mill property, the Coltex site at Columbia, Main and Old North Main streets. K2 Development and Collier Engineering applied for preliminary approval to put dozens of townhomes there.
The Coltex site, or Clover Spinning Mill, has a more than 130-year history as a machining, manufacturing or spinning operation. It’s been part of Halls Textile Machinery, Shuford Mill and Coltex Mills Park. The mill no longer stands on the property.
A year ago, the town planning commission approved plans for three homes and six townhomes at 113 Old North Main. The 1-acre property between Richland and Columbia streets is across Old North Main from the former mill site. It’s the first phase of a more than 6-acre site redevelopment that was to include 52 townhomes and retail space.
The planning commission gets a look at the second phase, the vacant former mill space, on Thursday. Now, the nearly 6-acre main mill property has 42 townhomes. There’s still commercial and open space. Half the townhomes back up to Old North Main. The other half, on the North Main Street side, are in four pods separated by new private streets.
The project will have off-street and on-street parking. Streets will have sidewalks and more than a dozen street lights. A retention pond and open space appear on the northern half the of the property. Commercial construction isn’t shown, but the southernmost section of the property remains for future development.
Rock Hill, Fort Mill conversion sites
Conversion of former mill properties has been a common theme in the region for the past half decade. Some of it came with federal tax incentives meant to revitalize lower-income areas. Some followed as downtown areas began to grow.
In Rock Hill, University Center and Knowledge Park replaced vast downtown areas that once employed much of the city with textile, manufacturing or power plants. The Lowenstein Building is now office space. The Power House has apartments and restaurants. The Thread and similar spaces have been converted for new businesses or apartments.
Fort Mill has a similar plan on its table. Owners of the former Williamson Street mill downtown want to convert it to hundreds of apartments. The plan involves a new apartment building beside the massive former textile space.
The Clover property is different because the mill building no longer stands. Still, former mill sites face many of the same challenges and advantages, including environmental cleanup and zoning hurdles.
Clover has promoted redevelopment efforts for several years for properties like the Coltex site and the 16-acre American Thread property on Main.
