Workforce and senior apartments, homes and more are planned in Rock Hill. Here’s where
Workforce and senior housing may be on the way in Rock Hill, as part of several projects the city planning commission saw on Tuesday night.
Woda Cooper Communities applied to rezone more than 18 acres at 1055 Finley Road to allow apartments there. The property is beside a former elementary school site, near Cherry Road and Heckle Boulevard.
The application asked for the change to allow income-restricted, affordable apartments. A submitted plan shows 216 apartments in nine buildings.
Denis Blackburne with the Ohio-based developer said the $40 million project includes nine buildings at three stories each, with units up to three bedrooms. Woda Cooper has more than 375 properties developed and owned in 16 states.
“We focus on workforce housing, affordable housing,” Blackburne said. “That is what we do. We are an industry leader in this.”
If the project continues to progress the developer would submit plans to the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority in January. City plan and review would follow in late 2022. Construction would start January of 2023, with units ready for lease a year later.
Units would be rented to people who qualify at 50-70% of the area median income. Or, Blackburne said, $29,000 and $68,000.
“The rent will be very affordable in comparison,” he said.
The not quite unanimous approval came despite a city staff recommendation against rezoning. There are 75 apartments in the area now and 236 more proposed close to the new project. The new 216 units would put more than 500 total in a tight area.
City planner Dennis Fields said a prior moratorium on apartments ended with recommendations, including one designed to spread out developments.
“That generally limits the area to 225 units or less,” he said.
A property just east was rezoned last year for apartments. Already there are some on York Avenue and Finley Road, just east. There’s a neighborhood on the opposite side of York Avenue, too.
“Recently you saw a rezoning request for multi-family, also income-restricted multi-family, here closer to the intersection of Heckle and Cherry Road,” Fields said.
Planning commission chairman Randy Graham cast the one vote against the rezoning. He, like staff, relied on the recommendation to keep apartment areas in the city smaller.
“I certainly agree on the need,” Graham said. “I agree, they’ve got good experience. They’re the kind of developer we like to see do developments here. I’m just questioning the timing on this particular site.”
If the approved developments all come on at once, he said, traffic and other concerns should arise. Several commission members expressed similar concerns, though they each sided in favor of the project.
“It will address a serious need in our community, and that’s affordable housing,” said commission member Gladys Robinson.
A final decision will come from Rock Hill City Council, which is set to hear the case for the first time Aug. 23.
▪ The commission also recommended a change that would allow mini storage as part of a larger commercial plan at Cherry and Mt. Gallant roads. The latest plan involves half an acre at 1110 Burton St. There are 10 more parcels part of a larger commercial plan at various stages of city council and zoning appeals board approvals.
A sketch plan shows nine single- and double-bay storage buildings off Cherry, between Andora Drive and Oakwood Circle. It shows two commercial buildings fronting Cherry.
▪ Yet another plan in Rock Hill involves a four-story apartment building for seniors. The Park at Wilkerson has a proposed 136 units, a pool, activity room, dining room and other amenities on almost five acres. The building would be be 156,000 square feet. The site has access off Cel-River and Wilkerson roads.
▪ An Eastwood Homes decision for Rock Hill property won’t come until next month. The applicant asked for and got a deferal until then. Eastwood asked to rezone 24 acres at 404 Rawlinson Road. Plans are for 106 townhomes on the property.
