Aiken City Council to discuss new downtown building in executive session Monday

Matthew Christian, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·4 min read

Sep. 8—The Aiken City Council plans to meet in executive session Monday evening to discuss the plan to construct a building that could potentially house a workforce development center for the Savannah River National Laboratory.

A meeting notice indicates the council will meet between a 5 p.m. work session and its 7 p.m. regular meeting to discuss "the proposed purchase, sale and/or leasing of property for the Savannah River National Laboratory."

The notice adds the council will go into executive session pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-70(a)(2) of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act ("Discussion of negotiations incident to proposed contractual arrangements and proposed sale or purchase of property").

The notice does not specify what property has been proposed for the site of the building.

However, several potential sites have been suggested.

At the state of the city address in January, Aiken Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Woltz said the city council's initial thoughts were to demolish the 1981-built Holley House, the Warneke Cleaners building and "possibly the old gun shop on Richland" (Taj Aiken) and then construct the building on that site.

Aiken Economic Development Director Tim O'Briant said in May the city also considered the empty space on Newberry Street that was once the location of the Busbee, Hunter and Bodenheimer law firm.

He also said the city considered the parking lot next to the new Municipal Building.

Tracey Turner, the new developer of the old Aiken County Hospital, offered space at that site in July.

Members of the public have also suggested the former Department of Public Safety headquarters on Laurens Street, places closer to the Savannah River Site including the Applied Research Center and the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative which is under construction at USC Aiken.

It will likely be up to the City Council to decide where to construct the building. But the Aiken Corporation will have input.

Via Aiken County, the city is the recipient of $20 million allocated by the South Carolina General Assembly from the state's settlement with the Department of Energy over plutonium stored at the Savannah River Site.

O'Briant said in May the city was planning to use the example of the Amentum Center when it constructs the new building. In that example, the city constructed the building then executed a 99-year "ground lease" to the Aiken Corporation.

And it is the Aiken Corporation that's hosting an open house Sept. 14 to reveal the results of a feasibility study for the new building.

The Savannah River National Laboratory won't be part of the decision.

An SRNL spokesman said recently the national laboratory would have no role in selecting the location. He added the national lab has only expressed an interest in leasing office space downtown should it become available.

Monday's executive session will be at least the second executive session held by the city council to discuss the building.

The executive session notice adds the city council will also discuss the potential purchase of a property near Oak Grove Road for the planned Powderhouse Connector.

At the 5 p.m. worksession, the city council plans to discuss improvements to Smith-Hazel Recreation Center.

At its 7 p.m. meeting, the council will consider the second readings of ordinances:

—adopting an update to the city's comprehensive plan (The plan has been updated to remove listed but not pursued road expansions, a non-existent park and to add Governor Aiken Park.);

—approving four commercial building facades at the redeveloped Aiken Mall; and

—amending the city's budget.

There are no first readings of ordinances scheduled for the meeting.

There are requests to approve the allocation of additional accommodations tax revenue and the purchase of property for the Powderhouse Connector.

There are also proclamations recognize Constitution Week and direct support professionals.

The council will also consider the reappointments of:

—Charles Cummings and John Wallace to the Recreation Commission;

—Steven Simmons to the Planning Commission;

—Scotty Myrick to the Community Development Committee; and

—Charity Hefley-Leigh to the Building Codes Appeals Committee.

The work session and regular meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building located at 111 Chesterfield St. S.W.