College town: group’s final plan coming soon

By Jonathan McFadden

Far right: Part of the CTAP is to include bike lanes along Cherry Road and make it more pedestrian-friendly. Developers wish to paint a large “WU” symbol on the road next to the school. Photo by Kathleen Brown • brownk@thejohnsonian.comThe conversation about Rock Hill and Winthrop improving the college-town atmosphere will continue on Sept. 27.

Ensuring a more pedestrian-friendly environment on Cherry Road and converting downtown Rock Hill into a hub of interest and entertainment for college students were topics discussed at the College Town Action Plan working group’s final meeting this past summer.

A workshop session will be held on September 27 to allow the working group to reconvene after their summer break and present their finalized plan to a joint group of Winthrop University Board of Trustees and the Rock Hill City Council.

Sydney Evans, chair of CSL, said the joint meeting was decided so the two bodies would not have to approve the plan separately. She said she is optimistic about the outcome.

“I don’t foresee many changes from the trustees, only good feedback and encouragement, because they have been kept up to speed throughout this whole process,” Evans said.

It will be up to the city council, Evans said, to evaluate and examine the plan and, if they approve, pass it.

If the council does approve the plan, Winthrop students can expect to see more industries tailored to their likes and needs, including better food choices and a stronger sense of community between college students and the city.

Evans said she is anticipating an atmosphere similar to other college towns in the state.

“The catch is that cities like Charleston, Columbia and Clemson were not built overnight,” Evans said.

Larry Bigham, CEO for the College Town Action Plan, said that while he didn’t want to speculate, if the board and council approve the plan, implementation of near-term projects can begin within six to 12 months.

One such project includes painting “WU” on Cherry Road and perhaps Eden Terrace.

“People, when they come into Rock Hill, will feel like they are entering a college town,” Bigham said.

Developments included in the working group’s plan range from enhancing current sidewalks to adding new ones in an effort to improve pedestrian safety. The group also included plans to create more bicycling paths on the roads in Rock Hill.  

Another proposal in the plan was the idea that the Bleachery site be transformed into a multi-usage area that will include a variety of housing types and promote employment for the college town area.

William Meyer, director of planning and development for the City of Rock Hill, said the old Bleachery has been completely torn out as part of a demolition process that began earlier this summer.

As of yet, there is no developer for the property.