Knowledge Park Market Analysis Rock Hill, SC

The City of Rock Hill engaged Landwise to provide market insight for the development of Knowledge Park, an up and coming district at the heart of the city. The City's vision for Knowledge Park is that it will become a regional employment hub specifically for knowledge economy businesses and attract talented workers. At the time of the analysis, Knowledge Park was mostly comprised of older industrial properties and underutilized parcels. Landwise was charged with determining the market opportunities across different land uses and identifying a program mix and absorption schedule for the site. Along with developing an economic forecast at the regional and submarket levels, the team conducted a thorough stakeholder engagement process to glean information about current market dynamics and development potential. The findings were bolstered by case study research on aspirational precedent projects such as the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC. The analysis by Landwise served as a key input to the City of Rock Hill's 5-Year Strategic Plan, which is currently being implemented.

The first major announcement since the work was completed came recently with the Carolina Panthers (NFL team) announcing the move of the team's headquarters and training campus to a location along Interstate 77 in Rock Hill. The estimated value of the investment to the Rock Hill economy is $150 million over four years.