Companies’ interest validates Knowledge Park’s talent claims

Rock Hill’s economic development efforts for Knowledge Park are attracting interest from companies small and large.

On the small scale, a Columbia-based technology company is considering Rock Hill as a location to serve the Charlotte market, Rock Hill economic development officials said Tuesday.

The company has about nine employees in the Rock Hill area who commute to work, said David Lawrence, Knowledge Park development manager. The firm would need between 3,000 and 4,000 square feet of office space, Lawrence said.

The company’s interests appears to validate what Rock Hill economic development officials have been saying for several months – the area has the high-tech talent needed to recruit new businesses. The talent would prefer to work near home and not commute.

A survey by the Social & Behavioral Lab at Winthrop University estimated that more than 52,000 leave York County for work daily. The survey estimated about 21,600 of those commuting have “knowledge-related jobs.” Of that group about 14,000, or 65 percent, would work locally if there was a similar job.

The study was commissioned by the Rock Hill Economic Development Corp.

“The (jobs) pipeline is an asset,” Lawrence said.

On the large end of the economic development scale, Rock Hill officials and Sidewalks Rock Hill continue to talk with a large firm that could occupy the Lowenstein building on the site of the former Rock Hill Printing & Finishing Co., commonly called the Bleachery.

Sidewalks Rock Hill is a limited liability company formed by Skip Tuttle and Gary Williams of Rock Hill, and Tim Elliott and Rick Banning, a developer and investor from Charleston. Sidewalks Rock Hill is working with Knowledge Park’s master developer, the partnership of Sora-Phelps.

Lawrence said the challenge in recruiting companies for the Lowenstein building is it could take up to a year to renovate the structure.

“That cuts the field of prospects down,” Lawrence said.

But if the renovations qualify for a number of tax credits, the Lowenstein building becomes an attractive space for lease. Lawrence said tax credits could lower the rent by $8 to $9 per square foot.

In other Knowledge Park news, RHEDC officials said Sora-Phelps and the city are finalizing some amendments to the financing agreement, covering zoning of the Bleachery property and infrastructure needs. The changes should be completed by January, Lawrence said.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 10:23 PM with the headline "Companies’ interest validates Knowledge Park’s talent claims."