fort mill

Lake Wylie, Fort Mill has tons of commercial development on the horizon

June 30, 2016 by lkw_df Leave a Comment

Development projects are on the rise in York County, as all different types of businesses are looking to set up shop there. Fort Mill, in particular, has a lot on the horizon, including a new veterinary hospital that would take over an old nursery that wasn’t able to become a landscaping business. Permitting and building plans are in discussion, but no formal plans have been put into motion. Current zoning of the more than six-acre property allows for a variety of land uses, with animal hospitals and veterinary clinics at the top of the list.

Furthermore, a new Fort Mill office or warehouse building is being considered for the corner of Steele Creek Drive and Pleasant Road. Plans are in the works, and the 27-acre property would be the third office park close to the Pleasant Glen subdivision.

There is also a possible national tire and auto shop for the one-acre site at Charlotte Highway and Carroll Cove Road, where there is also a Taco Bell and a Dunkin’ Donuts on the way. Another Dunkin’ Donuts is also planned for Gold Hill Road half way between Pleasant Road and I-77.

County staff also recently met with developers to discuss a proposed preschool in Lake Wylie on a corner lot in the Shoppes at the Landing, which is located at Nautical Drive and Mill Pond Road.

In one of four rezoning requests by the county, a 1500-square-foot grocery store would be rezoned for use as an office and retail outlet for an appliance and repair company. Another of the four rezoning requests would transition 37 acres from residential to business use for the tract of land west of S.C. 160 across from Brayden between Dave Gibson Boulevard and Len Patterson Drive.

For more details on these projects and others, as well as on the continued development of Lake Wylie and Fort Mill, check out the full article at heraldonline.com.

Fort Mill has a new huge development project on the horizon

June 6, 2016 by lkw_df Leave a Comment

Fort Mill is undergoing quite a bit of development as 2,900 more homes and apartments are planned along Spratt Street and Fort Mill Parkway. John Spratt, who owns more than 700 acres at the site, presented a plan with partners on Wednesday night to the Fort Mill Town Council to add residential, commercial and recreational space in a new mixed use development there.

The hope is that such land development will be part of the solution to continue to develop and improve Fort Mill, and it will contribute to securing its future. The plan would take over approximately 688 acres along the bypass. The land there would be rezoned from light industrial to mixed use in the town. Another 23 acres currently zoned for residential use would be rezoned to mixed use. Then a development agreement would allow for up to 1,700 single-family homes, up to 1,200 “other residential” units, between 250,000 and 500,000 square feet of commercial space, more than 60 acres of park and recreation space, more than 60 acres of open space and approximately three acres to expand the nearby wastewater treatment plant.

The plan would not happen overnight, as a 20-year buildout is anticipated with the hopes of selling the land to a developer in early 2017. This huge and record-breaking development project could potentially bring about 900 more new residences than is currently provided by the Massey and Waterside subdivisions combined.

As a means for controlling traffic and a need for more schools with so many new residences, the planning commission is recommending to require at least 15% of the residences be age restricted to seniors.

Town Council will have the final say on the annexation of the land, the rezoning and development agreement at a public hearing expected to take place on June 13.

Previously proposed large residential projects met with opposition because rezoning without annexation would impact the town without providing tax revenue. This proposal, however, is different, as the largest part of the project is zoned light industrial, therefore not allowing for residential use. However, there is still some proposed zoning for residential development, which many are happy to see. Residents in particular are looking forward to more athletic field space as well as the opportunity for property owners to develop land how they see fit.

The plan still needs a little bit of tweaking, as well as approvals from Town Council and the public hearing. But all in all, it is looking good for Fort Mill.

For more details on the project, read the full article at heraldonline.com.

Market demand dictates Fort Mill subsidized apartments move to market rate

May 26, 2016 by lkw_df Leave a Comment

The apartment boom in the greater Charlotte area, as well as across the nation, is in full force, and even low-income housing is feeling the pressures of demand to increase their rates.

Three Fort Mill apartment buildings have been sold, and their rates will be increasing toward market demand. Current residents are concerned that they may not be able to make the rent payment, though the new ownership company, New Jersey-based Friedlam Properties, assures plenty is being done to assist the residents.

Fort Mill Townhouse Apartments on Bolin Circle across from Fort Mill High School sold for $2.65 million. The second phase of the the apartments, located on Drane Circle near the intersection of Tom Hall Street and North Dobys Bridge Road, sold for $2.37 million. The Edgewood apartments on Banks Street sold for $2.16 million.

As the units in the buildings become vacant, they will be renovated and then leased at market rate. With 144 total units and 95 percent occupancy rate, there isn’t any push to move long-term residents who pay lower rates, as the difference will be made-up with federal subsidies. Thus, there is no major rent increase on tenants who are already there.

In 1987, when the apartments were built, they served as low-income housing with rent based on a percentage of each tenant’s income. That program has since expried, and the new owners do not want the properties to remain low income apartments, but they also do not want to displace anyone.

Most current tenants whose leases were about to expire and were up for renewal, renewed at the slightly higher rate (though still not market rate), and only a handful of residents declined signing the new lease.

There are concerns over what will happen if subsidized housing continues to be converted to market rate apartments in Fort Mill. However, the demands of the housing market are dictating higher pricing.

For more details on this Fort Mill apartment purchase and what it means for the residents and the community, read the full article at heraldonline.com.