Rock Hill is changing - for the better?

[winthropalum]

Just stating my personal opinion. I am from Gville, and have lived and worked in Rock Hill as well. I just find Rock Hill more appealing to me I guess.

[krazeeboi]

I wouldn't say that there are better jobs in Rock Hill. Greenville's local economy is quite diversified, much more so than Rock Hill's. They have North American headquarters, regional headquarters--some pretty big names like Bowater, Michelin, Lockheed, etc. Rock Hill's is decent, but it really has nothing in comparison. Also some of the most highly ranked schools are in the Greenville area.

I'm not understanding about Greenville not having anything outside of downtown. As a matter of fact, I think it might come close to having too much outside of downtown (but that's a separate discussion). Compared to Greenville, Rock Hill doesn't even have a downtown.

In my opinion, a great deal of Rock Hill's advantages come from being in close proximity to Charlotte. If it weren't for Charlotte, Rock Hill wouldn't be as big as it is, nor growing as fast. However, Greenville is the primary city of its MSA and has the most influence in the Upstate. These are really just apples-and-oranges comparisons all the way around.

[winthropalum]

I wouldn't say that there are better jobs in Rock Hill. Greenville's local economy is quite diversified, much more so than Rock Hill's. They have North American headquarters, regional headquarters--some pretty big names like Bowater, Michelin, Lockheed, etc. Rock Hill's is decent, but it really has nothing in comparison. Also some of the most highly ranked schools are in the Greenville area.

I'm not understanding about Greenville not having anything outside of downtown. As a matter of fact, I think it might come close to having too much outside of downtown (but that's a separate discussion). Compared to Greenville, Rock Hill doesn't even have a downtown.

In my opinion, a great deal of Rock Hill's advantages come from being in close proximity to Charlotte. If it weren't for Charlotte, Rock Hill wouldn't be as big as it is, nor growing as fast. However, Greenville is the primary city of its MSA and has the most influence in the Upstate. These are really just apples-and-oranges comparisons all the way around.

[Spartan]

Again, you are making that comparison to Charlotte. Perhaps we should be comparing Rock Hill to Mauldin-Simpsonville. That would be more accurate. You are providing a lot of misinformation here. You need to take a look at Greenville County versus York County. That will give you a better picture of what is going on.

Greenville has quality schools that rank high at the state and even national levels, and it regularly ranks among the higest in the state for job creation and the lowest for unemployment.

Greenville Co. ranked 1st in the state for job growth between 1990 and 2000. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2005.

York Co. ranked 10th in the state during that same period. Unemployment was 6.6% in 2005.

You are comparing poverty to jobs and schools, but not providing any context to back it up. By your logic, Rock Hill must be a better place to live than Charlotte since Charlotte has a 10% poverty rate and job growth only grew by 6.5%.

You need to get your facts straight.

[krazeeboi]

Gville is a great place to live, I'm just stating that it's not near the top in anything in the state that has to do w/ job growth, or school's.

[winthropalum]

Again, you are making that comparison to Charlotte. Perhaps we should be comparing Rock Hill to Mauldin-Simpsonville. That would be more accurate. You are providing a lot of misinformation here. You need to take a look at Greenville County versus York County. That will give you a better picture of what is going on.

Greenville has quality schools that rank high at the state and even national levels, and it regularly ranks among the higest in the state for job creation and the lowest for unemployment.

Greenville Co. ranked 1st in the state for job growth between 1990 and 2000. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2005.

York Co. ranked 10th in the state during that same period. Unemployment was 6.6% in 2005.

You are comparing poverty to jobs and schools, but not providing any context to back it up. By your logic, Rock Hill must be a better place to live than Charlotte since Charlotte has a 10% poverty rate and job growth only grew by 6.5%.

You need to get your facts straight.

[krazeeboi]

Ok where are these fact's? Here is the #'s from the census website.... You may want to let them know there facts are wrong....You seem to be a bit off... Maybe you still think its 1990.

[Spartan]

You can find all sorts of data from The SC Association of Counties. I would trust this data over the census any day.

All I see from the census data is that Greenville has a higher percentage of collegiate graduates, higher median family income, etc.

I work with statistics a lot, and I know that you can make them say whatever you want them to say. So look at the companies that Greenville is attracting, look at the level of development and investment that is happening there- from downtown to the I-85 corridor to the Golden Strip. Now, tell me how all of that compares to what is happening in Rock Hill. You can state your facts, but you fail to provide any reason as to why they are what they are.

If you think Rock Hill is a nicer place to live, then thats fine with me. I rather like Rock Hill myself. But I think you will have a hard time convincing anyone with those statistics that Rock Hill has more going for it than Greenville. Anyone in the state would probably tell you the opposite. Greenville-Spartanburg is the #1 economic engine in South Carolina afterall.

[charlottemetro1]

Ok where are these fact's? Here is the #'s from the census website.... You may want to let them know there facts are wrong....You seem to be a bit off... Maybe you still think its 1990.

Poverty level is at 13.8% in Greenville county.

Median Income is 42,449.00$

Education ranked 8th in state. Below York County, SC, which is at 3rd.

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSA...=&_industry=

[krazeeboi]

Hmmm...all of a sudden we have another new poster who also misuses apostrophes, misspells "suburbs," and coincidentally agrees with winthropalum's convoluted assesments?

Let me go handle this real quick...

[ohioaninSC]

I can tell you that if Rock Hill wasn't near Charlotte, I would have taken a job somewhere else. I don't think this town has much to offer a young professional like me. For instance, I like a downtown environment that has nice restaraunts, and bars/clubs to go out to in the evenings, and also has nice places to shop. RH has 1 bar downtown (McHales), and 1 restaraunt (The Station), and not much else. Thankfully, it only takes about half an hour to go to Uptown Charlotte otherwise, I'd probably go a little crazy. Greenville has a much nicer downtown that offers much more than RH. I do like the price of real estate hear, as my house would probably cost 30-40K more in Charlotte, and in OH (Columbus, or Cleveland), it would be about 75K more. It is nice to see some of the plans they have for the downtown area, but I still don't know how much retail, and restaraunt/nightlife will be going into it.

[winthropalum]

I can tell you that if Rock Hill wasn't near Charlotte, I would have taken a job somewhere else. I don't think this town has much to offer a young professional like me. For instance, I like a downtown environment that has nice restaraunts, and bars/clubs to go out to in the evenings, and also has nice places to shop. RH has 1 bar downtown (McHales), and 1 restaraunt (The Station), and not much else. Thankfully, it only takes about half an hour to go to Uptown Charlotte otherwise, I'd probably go a little crazy. Greenville has a much nicer downtown that offers much more than RH. I do like the price of real estate hear, as my house would probably cost 30-40K more in Charlotte, and in OH (Columbus, or Cleveland), it would be about 75K more. It is nice to see some of the plans they have for the downtown area, but I still don't know how much retail, and restaraunt/nightlife will be going into it.

[krazeeboi]

Not just "someone," but someone new with the same spelling errors, syntax, and sentence structure, and having lived in the same two cities as yourself. I mean, really, what do you take us for?

If you haven't familiarized yourself with the rules here, I would suggest that you do so (particularly the first point under #1).

[erm1981]

Well I have lived in the area all my life and as it stands right now Greenville has a lot going for it. The job market is great with lots of newer higher tech jobs moving in, and the construction is really starting to pile up around the upstate.....another good sign of a strong local economy.

Winthropalum.....I run into people like you everyday that just like to kick Greenville because they happen to be from this area, and just dont know better. Ive been to areas all over the USA and a lot of cities would be dying to have going for them what Greenville has going on right now.

[teshadoh]

I'm at a loss for words. But the past page or 2 have had the most bizarre assertions I've read in a while.

But I have never in my life heard anyone championing Rock Hill as much. Where were you when I was growing up in 'Rock Hole'? Sure, the economy is decent (completely thanks to Charlotte - b/c Rock Hill had one of the worst economies in the 70's), schools are decent (by the way, Fort Mill can't be mentioned b/c it is a completely different school system) & I suppose depending on your standards, RH is a decent town to live in (I admit, not my taste). But this comparison with Greenville sounds completely like someone has an axe to grind & they are using Greenville as their excuse. I can understand bad mouthing your hometown, I did that for a few years after I left RH, but your arguments are completely unfounded.

[winthropalum]

Not just "someone," but someone new with the same spelling errors, syntax, and sentence structure, and having lived in the same two cities as yourself. I mean, really, what do you take us for?

If you haven't familiarized yourself with the rules here, I would suggest that you do so (particularly the first point under #1).

[charlottemetro1]

Supposdly quite a bit... But I agree 100% with Charlotte being a main factor. It's a huge plus for Rock Hill. Probably the main plus, but it is what it is....

What is that supposed to mean? Just b/c someone agreed with me, something is wrong? I'm just stating my opinions having lived in both area's. You don't see me mocking you and calling your "assesments" convoluted. I don't think that is very fair.

[Spartan]

I am willing to put up with a lot of crap, but having arguements with one's self is not on that list.

Winthropalum, we know that you have also signed up as charlottemetro1, and we have a zero tolerance policy on multiple accounts. It clearly states that in the rules, which you should have read during the sign up process. You're gone.

[krazeeboi]

This is one for the books, LOL.

[rockhilljames]

I'm confused.

[Spartan]

Understandable, rhj.

[rockhilljames]

Does anyone know what's being built at the corner of Celanese and Mt. Gallant where the old convience store was located? Hendrick Construction has cleared the site and put up a sign, but there's no indication of what is being built there.

Any ideas?

[krazeeboi]

You mean where the Circle K is, or rather, was, right across from the Presbyterian church? I didn't even know it was gone.

[rockhilljames]

No, not that corner, the one across from the discount auto lot. It used to be an old convience store and it's been vacant for awhile. The lot finally got sold and they're putting something up there. The have the footprint leveled off today, whatever it is, it looks to be a pretty good size.

I'm sad to say it looks to be the exact size of a CVS or Walgreens.

[krazeeboi]

Ahhh, I see.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a Walgreens go there. I used to work for the one at Cherry and Oakland, and there was talks of one going at the lot where the new Wachovia is on the corner of Celanese and India Hook; it just seems that they were interested in expanded in that area of town. To be honest with you, I wouldn't mind a Walgreens going there. I know it's going to be typically suburban (I don't know if the city knows how to do anything else), but for the sake of convenience, I'd like to see one built.