The Rock Hill Cotton Factory was built in 1888 as a key element of the City’s historic textile industry. It was a mill that was a major employer and economic driver in the community, coupled with the nearby Rockhill Bleachery that processed fabric from the Cotton Factory into finished material with colorful prints and textures ready for manufacture into clothing, upholstery and other products.
The Cotton Factory was added to the National Register in 1992. After decades of neglect and temporary use by short-term tenants, the Cotton Factory was eventually abandoned. The Strategy 5 principal worked on a redevelopment effort with the City’s Economic Development Corporation that included market analysis, financial feasibility analysis and a funding and finance strategy. Ultimately, the redevelopment effort succeeded, and a new office and commercial use has restored the economic vibrancy of this key downtown employment center.
The historic Cotton Factory had become an eyesore that telegraphed the disinvestment in downtown Rock Hill. Strategy 5 identified its redevelopment as a critical catalyst for revitalization.
After several steps in analysis and implementation led by Strategy 5, the Cotton Factory has regained its prominence as an economic driver for downtown Rock Hill.