Inclusive boutique hotel planned for downtown Rock Hill

A new boutique hotel planned for downtown Rock Hill aims to combine upscale hospitality with workforce opportunities for people with disabilities.

Raines, a hospitality management, development and investment company, is partnering with The Warren Norman Co., Noble Food and Pursuits, Comporium and WinthropLIFE to develop The Lantern Hotel Rock Hill. The project is expected to open in fall 2026, according to a news release.

The group plans to redevelop the former Andrew Jackson Hotel, most recently known as the Guardian Building, as an adaptive reuse project. Plans call for 56 guest rooms, a restaurant, bar, private speakeasy, event space, private dining room and membership-based amenities.

The project follows a similar concept to the 59-room Lantern Hotel Columbia, which is scheduled to open this month inside Columbia’s historic Central Firehouse.

Developers said the Rock Hill hotel will focus on inclusive employment, working with Winthrop University‘s WinthropLIFE program, which supports students with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they transition into the workforce.

“The hospitality industry is a perfect opportunity to train and equip people with differing abilities to not only provide job opportunities, but to learn skills to apply to other opportunities elsewhere,” Warren Norman, managing partner of The Warren Norman Co., said in the release

Jim Noble, CEO of Noble Food and Pursuits, said the project aligns with the company’s focus on community-centered hospitality and local investment.

The Lantern concept will be led by General Manager Rick Hayduk, who has advocated for expanding career opportunities for people with disabilities. Hayduk said his interest in inclusive employment was influenced by his daughter, who has Down syndrome.

Hayduk also runs The Lantern-Columbia and he was the cofounder of the Shepherd Hotel in Clemson, which opened in 2022 with a similar mission.

Rock Hill-based telecommunications company Comporium is also partnering on the project. Company officials said the development supports downtown revitalization while expanding workforce opportunities.

Raines Managing Partner David Tart said the hotel is intended to serve as both a hospitality destination and a workforce development initiative.

Raines currently operates 55 hotels across the Southeast, the release said. The Warren Norman Co. develops and operates retail and hospitality properties throughout the region. Noble Food and Pursuits operates multiple restaurant concepts across the Carolinas.