Aiken City Council approves new downtown mixed-use project
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The city of Aiken approved adding a mixed-use development project in the downtown area on Monday.
The city of Aiken has approved a sale of land on Williamsburg Street and Richland Avenue.
The development will be in the area of the Aiken County Farmer’s Market.
It’s looking to be more than a $10 million redevelopment project for the eastern part of downtown Aiken.
The property is currently fenced and was previously the Jackson Petroleum site before laying vacant for over a decade.
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City leaders say it’s all part of the plan to give new meaning to an area with minimal activity for the past 20 years.
With plans to further develop downtown Aiken on the horizon, residents like Alphonzo Holmes say it’s a welcome change if leaders do it right.
“They need to do less commercial property and do more commercial business. That’s what we need,” said Holmes.
City leaders say the two-acre property will serve as a revitalization of the eastern part of downtown with space for small businesses and apartments.
It’s a move city leaders say is the start of redevelopment for the area.
“We expect to do some streetscape improvements along Williamsburg by the farmers market, so that’ll play hand in hand with what these developers would like to do with the property,” said City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh.
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Holmes says he’s all for improvement, but he says there are more pressing needs the property could be used for.
“Put a convenient grocery store nearby. You have got more people in this area than going all across town to go shopping. There be better for them to shop no close by,” said Holmes.
It’s a new direction Holmes says he hopes continues as there’s still a lot to be done with reshaping Aiken to thrive.
“They got a lot of development. They aren’t even using that. Need to be reconstructed,” said Holmes. “They just sitting here, and they aren’t doing anything with them.”
City leaders say things are still in their early stages, but they have plans to move forward with the potential buyer, CH2 Holdings, in the coming months.
If things go according to plan, construction is expected to take three years with final phases looking to be done by 2027.
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