North Augusta neighbors worry as ‘The Hive’ project continues
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Hive in North Augusta is now one step closer to being a reality.
On Thursday, the city held a groundbreaking for the new development.
The project is set to bring restaurants, businesses and nearly 700 new homes to the area. But some people have raised concerns about how the city is going to handle the increased number of people.
“The apartments would be the first shovels in the ground, and those shovels are in the ground as we speak now, and we’ll see units online about a year from now,” said John Engler, McKnight Engler.
Mayor Briton Williams says it’s meant to benefit North Augustans.
A place to call home.
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”They’re pricing working-class people out of living in North Augusta. North Augusta should be a home first,” said Dennis Briatco, who is running for North Augusta City Council.
A place to be proud of.
”Let’s keep some character. Let’s keep some also integrity, and let’s do what’s right for the people that are here,” said Jean Norris, North Augusta resident.
Briatico says it’s time to slow down.
“I don’t know anybody who dreamed about living in North Augusta, who bought a house in North Augusta, who wants to drive in Grovetown traffic every morning.”
But the growth keeps on coming.
”Over 300 single-family homes and then 343 apartments. We’ll add garages and townhomes as well. All of our commercial development will run from Knobcone Avenue down to the interstate so all along Martinown Road,” Engler said, along with benefitting North Augusta.
”If you pull up a map, there’s nothing within three miles of this development. And so we’ve got some of the best housing income, some of the best new housing developments,” said Engler.
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Developers for the project are McKnight Engler, Stanley Martin, and Panther Residential.
After hearing neighbors’ concerns about congestion, they’re hoping new traffic lights will help.
”I think traffic-wise with lights is going to be very helpful to help with, but the bottom line is exits are a different animal,” Williams said.
Norris says they have plans to connect her neighborhood to the hive. ”We’re here and we’re crying out to you for help and we’re being ignored.”
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Norris says that after g petitions and attending city council meetings, neighbors feel defeated. “Three people in the neighborhood that have already sold and moved.”
Briatico says now is the time for change.
“Exit 1 is probably the number one way most of us go in the morning to go to work. What’s going to happen when there are 700 more houses there? We can do things to save the future. It’s never too late to fight for your home.”
Developers say the first thing to go up will be the apartments, and you should see everything start to come together next spring.
City officials say the development is an added bonus as the city continues to grow with new projects.
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