Big Mill deal could get done by end of the year

If things go according to plan, the county hopes to acquire the 17.4-acre "Big Mill" site from Milliken by the end of the year.

Cherokee County Assistant Administrator Holland Belue said the property is currently undergoing a Brownfield assessment, which will determine the existence of contaminants on the site. The assessment also exempts the county from liability if contaminants are discovered in the future.

"This is nothing out of the ordinary for an industrial site," Belue said. "This is just a way to protect the county, so if something is found in the next 10 to 20 or 50 years, the county is not liable. It's the proper and secure way of redeveloping a commercial or industrial property. We are testing to see if anything is there that needs to be cleaned up."

Belue said Milliken is funding this phase of the environmental testing.

Belue said the county could hire an architectural firm to begin the design phase of the project by the end of the year.

Demolishing existing structures on Milliken's "Big Mill" site could begin early next year, according to Belue.

The county plans to build a new administration center on the 17.4-acre site.

"The project is on the fast track," Belue said.

The county will fund the project partly with an estimated $3.5 million in tax revenue it has set aside. The remaining cost will be financed with bonds, Belue said.

The county plans to spend $435,000 to purchase the site and recoup up to $100,000 of that amount by selling three acres of the property to the City of Gaffney for use as a park.