Demolition could start within days for the structure that was to become the Carolina Panthers’ headquarters in Rock Hill, S.C., according to Mayor John Gettys.

“The building should start coming down within a week,” Gettys told The Herald on Monday.

The building and 245-acre site can be seen from Interstate 77 and Mount Gallant Road in Rock Hill. The city now owns the site near the Exit 81 interchange, which is under construction, Gettys said. The interchange is expected to be finished this summer, weather permitting, Gettys said.

The structure was under construction when GT Real Estate, the company created by the Panthers to oversee the project, stopped construction in Spring 2022. GT declared bankruptcy in June 2022. The bankruptcy was confirmed in mid-December and the city took ownership of the property the next day as part of a settlement, Gettys said.

Rock Hill received title to the land, which Gettys said is worth more than $37 million.

Documents earlier in the bankruptcy agreement showed a value of at least $20 million.

The city has agreed to a $1 deal with a contractor to tear down the building, remove the steel, and crush the foundation concrete footings, Gettys said.

The city and contractor will split the proceeds for personal property on site such as air conditioners and other items, Gettys said.

To date, the city already has proceeds over $300,000 for that personal property, Gettys said.

GT Real Estate is the company created by Panthers owner David Tepper to oversee what would have been the Panthers’ headquarters and practice facility. The project failed in a dispute over money.

As part of the bankruptcy settlement, GT ended its legal disputes with the city of Rock Hill and York County.

The Panthers remain headquartered in Charlotte.

There have been inquiries into the site but the city council has not yet discussed the highest and best return on the city’s investment, Gettys said.

The property is still being marketed by Collier’s as the ‘Rock Hill Overlook’ a “development opportunity,” according to Collier’s Web site.

Rock Hill City Council met Monday night to, among other things, adopt a resolution that would allow the city to convey personal property, fixtures, materials and equipment at the site.

During a citizens hearing, two speakers made their own proposals for what should happen there. Albert Zouky said the city should reach out to mega convenience station brand Buc-ee’s.

“With the new interstate overpass that goes over, that is to me a fabulous place to attract a Buc-ee’s,” Zouky said.

Ideally, Zouky said, the city could work with the existing building that was there under construction.

“Maybe we can still salvage that building that would be a great asset for the community,” Zouky said.

Another speaker told council a group from Atlanta, which the speaker represented, researched the property and had a privately funded proposal that included a covered dome that could be used for basketball and football, along with retail or conference space.

Council passed the resolution on Monday night.

City attorney Paul Dillingham said acquiring personal property at the site was part of the deal to take ownership, and the city has taken great pains to try to recover and make best use of the site. Sales incentives involved with the property will help bring about demolition at little or no cost to the city, Dillingham said Monday night.

Councilwoman Kathy Pender, just before Monday night’s vote, said she’d heard erroneous estimates that it would cost the city considerable money to bring down the unfinished structure.

”Part of what we are doing here is lowering the cost of any work there,” Pender said.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

This story was originally published February 13, 2023, 3:14 PM.

Rock Hill is a step closer to a new swim beach.

Rock Hill City Council voted Monday night to approve a lease agreement with Duke Energy for property at India Hook and Elks Park roads. The site will become a new waterfront park.

”This project is substantially complete,” said deputy city manager Jimmy Bagley. “They’re prepared to turn the keys over to the city for a spring opening.”

The city recreation department will operate the new park. It will be open sunrise to sunset. Amenities will include restrooms, a canoe and kayak launch, fishing piers, trails, picnic tables and benches. The most notable, though, is the new swim beach.

Ebenezer Park has a swim beach. For Tega Cay residents, Windjammer Park has one. Otherwise, there hasn’t been significant public swimming access on Lake Wylie. The new swim beach in Rock Hill will be considered a natural swimming area, meaning it won’t have stationed lifeguards.

Duke operates almost a dozen Catawba River lakes from the North Carolina mountains to the South Carolina sandhills. Duke needs a federal license to operate hydroelectric facilities on them. In 2006, Duke signed an agreement with almost 70 regional stakeholders to apply for a new license, which was granted in 2015. The application included promised public recreation and environmental improvements throughout the basin.

The new Rock Hill park is part of that pledge. So is a massive upgrade effort at Allison Creek Access Area in York County. Upgrades at Dutchman’s Creek Access Area and restrooms at Buster Boyd Access Area in Lake Wylie already are complete.

Beyond Lake Wylie, planned recreation improvements range from a swim beach on Lake Norman to Springs Park Access Area on Fishing Creek Reservoir to the Great Falls restoration of river flow in areas where it was dammed off decades ago.

Bagley, who sat in on years of stakeholder meetings during relicensing, said what city officials now call Lake Park won’t have motor boat access but will have plenty of amenities. Duke will own the site and lease it to the city through the license term, which goes to 2055.

”Hopefully they would have a new license extended (to keep the part operating beyond that date),” Bagley said.

Apart from staffing similar to other city parks, the new site comes at Duke’s expense as part of the agreement.

“It was a long, painstaking process,” Bagley said of relicensing. “It didn’t cost us anything. It will have staffing, that will cost us in the future.”

Councilwoman Kathy Pender said Bagley’s work to represent the city in relicensing was key to the coming attraction. As were other area representatives.

”Part of that was making sure our community came away with something out of that partnership,” Pender said. “Not only this park, but there are others in York County that have come out of that.”

Councilman John Black said the new park meets a need in Rock Hill.

”This is a great amenity and adding something our community really doesn’t have,” Black said.

The addition in Rock Hill grows a range of city offerings to access the Catawba River. The Piedmont Medical Center Trail runs along the river at Riverwalk. The Rock Hill Velodrome, Rock Hill Criterium and Rock Hill Outdoor Center Greens also are at Riverwalk. Just downstream, near Waterford Golf Club, there’s River Park.

The new Rock Hill beachfront park also adds to river recreation sites across the region. Tega Cay recently opened ballfields, trails and more at Catawba Park. York County continues work on the 1,900-acre Catawba Bend Preserve on the Rock Hill banks of the Catawba.

York County finalized a deal Monday night to bring Pallidus to Rock Hill.

The silicon carbide manufacturer intends to create more than 400 jobs and invest $443 million. The company founded in 2015 will relocate its headquarters from New York to a 300,000-square-foot facility at 1786 and 1800 Overview Drive in Rock Hill.

Pallidus applications can serve the electric vehicle, mass transit and green energy sectors, among others. Pallidus intends to expand the country’s semiconductor market.

Operations should begin third quarter of this year. In an announcement from the state commerce department Tuesday, company vice president of global facilities Jerry Knowles said Pallidus is thrilled to partner with South Carolina and the local community.

“The decision to select Rock Hill, South Carolina for our next manufacturing facility was the result of extensive research to locate to a community that aligned with our innovative and collaborative spirit, offered an exceptional quality of life for our employees and is easily supported from our research and development facility in New York,” Knowles said.

Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said his community invested for decades in utility systems would bring investments like Pallidus. Attaining high standards for the sight resulted, Gettys said, ine one of the most impactful economic development announcements in the city’s history.

“We welcome Pallidus and the new generation of manufacturing jobs they bring to the ‘good town’ as well as the opportunity for more of our people to build wealth through high paying wages,” Gettys said.

Charlotte Regional Business Alliance chief business recruitment officer Danny Chavez said the move is big beyond just York County.

“The state of South Carolina, along with our region, continues to be a magnet for innovative, next-generation companies like Pallidus,” Chavez said. “Success stories like these, within our targeted industries, are a testament to our streamlined, dual-state economic development capabilities.”

York County Council finalized an economic incentive deal for the project on Monday night. Chairwoman Christi Cox said jobs will be liveable wage, many at $80,000 a year or more. Cox spoke with company officials and was impressed that Pallidus is American-owned with American investors.

“It opens up some tremendous opportunities for the county,” Cox said.

Councilman Tom Audette said the number of new jobs is good news for York County.

“The opportunity here for the community, and the opportunity for job growth, is immense,” Audette said.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – PDM US, a manufacturer of pre-insulated copper pipes, today announced plans to expand operations and establish its world headquarters in York County. The company’s $18.5 million investment will create 25 new jobs.

PDM US is a leading global pipe manufacturer and copper tube supplier. The company’s Rock Hill operations serve as its main production facility and will now also serve as its world headquarters. PDM US specializes in innovating, manufacturing and delivering quality pre-insulated copper pipes for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry. Today, the company is one of the fastest growing companies in the HVAC industry.

Located at 640 Celriver Road in Rock Hill, PDM US plans to expand its current state-of-the-art production facility with an additional 19,999 square feet. The company is upfitting its facility with large generators, a mezzanine, extensive cooling systems, reinforced concrete foundations, and other required modifications to support new casting and drawing equipment. The expansion will allow PDM US to cast copper tubing in-house at the Rock Hill facility, using only American-made parts for production. When complete, PDM US will be the only fully integrated insulated copper tube manufacturer in the United States.

The expansion is expected to be complete by April 2023. Individuals interested in joining the PDM US team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development awarded a $50,000 Set-Aside grant to York County to assist with the costs of infrastructure improvements.

QUOTES

“We are thrilled to announce the completion of our most recent investment in the Rock Hill, S.C. plant. With the expansion and cutting-edge machinery for the manufacture of copper tubes, PDM will be the only fully integrated insulated copper tube manufacturer in the U.S.! The new process is elegant, innovative and gentle on the planet. Thanks to South Carolina’s favorable industrial environment, we have been able to become a magnet for people who bring their precious gifts to a place where values, vitality and strengths are welcomed and appreciated. All together we are writing a page in the book of the American industry. The best is yet to come!” -PDM US President and Chief Executive OfficerPasquale De Martino

“Today’s announcement is further proof that manufacturers are seeing the benefits of doing business in South Carolina. We celebrate PDM US’ expansion and appreciate their commitment to our state.” -Gov. Henry McMaster

“After almost a decade in the York County business community, it’s exciting to see PDM US expand operations and establish their world headquarters. South Carolina continues to attract businesses that are eager to expand, and our state provides a great foundation for that growth. We congratulate PDM US on their success in the state and look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership.” -Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“On behalf of York County, we congratulate PDM US on their announcement today. We couldn’t be more pleased that they chose to grow here in South Carolina. We are proud to see this global manufacturer expand its footprint, bringing additional valuable jobs and investment into our county and state.” -York County Council Chairwoman Christi Cox

“PDM US is a valuable partner in sustaining manufacturing jobs in Rock Hill. Expanding its plant to include American parts for production and creating additional opportunities for employment for our people is a testament to the strength of our local economy and our workforce. We look forward to the successful completion of this expansion and the continued growth of the business.” -City of Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys

FIVE FAST FACTS

What if twice as many homes and apartments as are in Fort Mill today were squeezed in among what’s already built in York and Lancaster counties?

Now, think of those new homes and apartments as if they’re already on the way.

There’s no clear trend in the number of new homes and apartments approved in the region since the COVID-19 pandemic. But there is one consensus. A whole lot more homes and apartments are coming.

The Herald reached out to public officials in hotbed growth areas just south of the state line to see what’s coming. We combined that data with recent reports of projects now in the works.

Conclusion: Some areas are approving more new homes than ever. Some aren’t.

A picture emerges in York and Lancaster counties where decisions already made will further alter the local landscape. Even by a conservative estimate, those areas have well more than 20,000 homes, townhomes or apartments that are approved, but aren’t yet built.

Here’s a roundup of what we found:

Fort Mill residential growth has been among the highest in the region for more than a decade. The more than 24,000 residents in 2020 is well more than double the 2010 count, at fewer than 11,000 residents. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Fort Mill, as of mid-2021, had almost 28,000 residents.

Yet new home approvals aren’t coming as rapidly.

In 2020, Fort Mill Town Council didn’t approve any new residential developments. The same is true for last year, when council reviewed but denied an annexation request for 80 new homes.

The town did approve annexation, rezoning and a development agreement in 2021 for the Crossroads project. That proposal will add up to 460 age-restricted residences and new commercial development in the Fort Mill Parkway and Williams Road area. Close to half of those residences, at 220 units, are part of an independent or assisted living facility with memory care.

Council initially denied a plan for Crossroads before agreeing to modifications. Council denied two more residential plans in 2021 that could’ve added 318 homes.

Town leaders have spoken for some time about the pressure new homes put on area roads, schools and other public infrastructure. Mayor Guynn Savage told area elected and road officials last month she still recalls the message from her first meeting with the Rock Hill-Fort Mill Area Transportation Study policy committee.

“I was told, Fort Mill’s got to stop growing,” Savage said. “You just have to stop permitting houses. Quit growing.”

Recently, Savage said, there’s been a shift.

“We’ve turned down quite a few,” Savage said. “It doesn’t make the paper, the ones we turn down. It certainly does the ones we accept. In the last two years, we’ve turned down more than we’ve accepted.”

Related to roads, Savage told the group, the hope is that fewer approved new homes will ease pressure points.

“We heard you,” Savage said, “and we understood that we were contributing to the problem that we all have.”

It may be a long while still before the recent shift away from new housing approvals becomes apparent. The town has about 7,000 new residences already entitled, or allowed for construction by past decisions or existing zoning. Town leaders say the final residence count could be significantly smaller due to land use or property constraints, like wetlands. Many of the entitled homes come from agreements set to span decades, so the impact won’t hit all at once.

The big driver in new homes is the Lennar project along Fort Mill Parkway, Elizabeth. Land formerly owned by U.S. Rep. John Spratt came up for development almost a decade ago. The initial request involved 3,400 residences. The town worked that number down to a 2016 approval for about 2,600 residences. The plan further evolved to fewer than 2,000 homes.

Unincorporated York County saw a peak for new home plans in 2020. There were nine projects with 895 lots whose plats came to the county planning commission. That lot count was almost four times what it was in 2019, at 239 lots.

There were more projects — 15 — in 2021 but there were about half as many lots requested. There were 449 residences approved in 2021, a number that dropped by almost half again last year to 241 residences.

County planners didn’t provide an exact number of how many approved homes can still be built in unincorporated parts of the county, but the figure is significant. Just among projects that came to the planning commission from 2019 to 2022, there were 1,824 lots approved. As of the new year, the county only listed one of those projects — a 50-lot subdivision — as under construction.

The past three years brought a steady increase for Rock Hill residences. There were 899 units approved in 2020. The amount increased to 1,270 units in 2021 and 1,627 units last year.

City planner Alex Boyce said the city doesn’t track the number of homes and apartments approved but not yet built. Sometimes projects are approved but never built. Some approvals expire in two years, leaving some units unbuilt. Then, there are projects approved many years back that still have work ongoing.

For units approved from 2020 to 2022, however, there were 375 units with certificates of occupancy as of year’s end. Which leaves 3,421 units approved in that span without one -- or yet to be fully built.

Lancaster County keeps tabs on its panhandle (the Indian Land area), its main residential growth area for more than a decade.

The county has a list of approved, active and recently completed subdivisions there. At year’s end, there were 17,759 homes and apartments on that list.

More than two-thirds of those residences, nearly 12,500 of them, are homes. About 5,200 are apartments.

Last year saw 411 new home approvals in the panhandle, less than half what the prior year brought. Apartment unit approvals dropped 38% in a year.

The past five years brought a shift in housing type. In 2018 and 2019, only a sliver of the more than 3,000 approved residences were apartments. From 2020 forward, there have been more apartment units than homes approved. Last year there were more than twice as many apartments as homes.

There’s likely plenty more of both to come.

Only 56% of homes and 48% of apartments on the approved list in the panhandle have been built. At year’s end there were 8,211 approved residences that hadn’t yet started construction. Of them, there are almost 5,500 homes and more than 2,700 apartments.

Tega Cay residential approvals bounced back in 2022.

“There were no new developments in 2020 and 2021,” said Susan Britt, city planning and development services director. “Permits issued in those years were for the continued development of existing subdivisions.”

The city approved 432 residences last year. There were 160 homes and 225 apartments at the former Game On site now informally known as the city “Main Street” project, and 138 homes at Windell Woods. Windell Woods should be complete by 2025, the former Game On site by 2027.

Like other area communities, recent approvals are just part of what comes next. As of the start of 2023, Tega Cay had 859 homes and apartments approved but not yet built. Apart from the former Game On site, all those homes and apartments come in projects slated for completion by 2025.

Expected new homes aren’t confined to the state line area.

As of October, the town of York had 14 active or recently approved projects under development. Another was pending. The western York County city had 2,412 homes and townhomes included.

Lancaster is another non-traditional hot spot for residential growth. The Roselyn development south of Andrew Jackson State Park on U.S. 521 was approved for more than 1,800 homes in 2019. Several others south of the panhandle followed.

Last fall, Lancaster County development services director Rox Burhans said the county has five years worth of residential growth approved but not yet built. There are more than 8,000 homes and townhomes that can be built without further approval. More projects have come in since.

In late January, Lancaster City Council moved forward with plans for almost 500 new residences. Combined with the Red Rose Village project from December, the city looks at more than 700 new residences in total.