Rock Hill makes a move to ready redevelopment of the former Herald site downtown
Rock Hill City Council took a step Monday toward redevelopment of the former Herald site downtown.
Council passed the first of two readings needed to sell almost 2 acres on West White Street in the Knowledge Park area. The property is in the same block as, and behind, a larger property on West Main Street that once had printing and office space for The Herald.
The former Herald property has had redevelopment plans for several years. Just last week, Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation board members talked about a White Point Partners project there with office, retail and 300 apartments.
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The smaller city-owned site connected to the former Herald property is part of the same redevelopment plan.
“This adjoining piece would be essential for the development of the property in total,” city attorney Paul Dillingham told Council on Monday night.
There have been discussions involving residences, new business, even a pedestrian bridge in the Dave Lyle Boulevard area there. A full development agreement between the city and new owner would follow, and include those details.
“Many items are still to be done but this contract...would at least get the site under contract for the developer’s financing purposes,” Dillingham said.
There is a 120-day due diligence period. The decision Monday, and second reading by council to confirm it, is important but still allows negotiation.
“The real deal from the city’s perspective is the development agreement,” Dillingham said, “which has not yet been negotiated.”
Council members Jim Reno and Kevin Sutton asked what measures the city can put in to give it some leverage or recourse if the current redevelopment plan doesn’t happen. The city has had significant success in recent years with redevelopment projects downtown, but also experienced a setback when the city worked with the Carolina Panthers on a headquarters project off I-77 that ultimately didn’t happen. It took bankruptcy court proceedings to bring that property to city ownership for redevelopment.
Sutton asked if first right of refusal or some other language in an agreement could make sure the city has some say in what happens on the downtown property for sale.
“There’s been a lot of development taking place on White Street right now,” Sutton said. “It’s already taken place and more is in the works right now.”
The decision Monday would sell the property to WP Herald, LLC of Charlotte for $400,000. That company isn’t affiliated with the newspaper.
