Gumpert plans to make another offer for old Aiken County hospital, discusses other projects

Feb. 18—Even though he failed to close a deal with Aiken County to purchase the old Aiken County Hospital for $2.094 million, John Gumpert told the Aiken Standard that he still is interested in acquiring the historic building and the 9.44 acres on which it stands in Aiken.

"I'll definitely make another offer," he said following the Aiken County Planning Commission meeting Feb. 16 at the Aiken County Government Center.

Gumpert, who is the president of Atlanta-based Camden Management Partners Inc., is the point man for Aiken Lofts Manager LLC, which had until Dec. 31, 2022 to finalize the transaction.

After that didn't happen, there was a 30-day "cure period" during which Aiken Lofts Manager had another opportunity to complete the agreement, but failed to do so.

"We just ran out of time," Gumpert said. "With the interest rate environment doubling and possibly tripling, it really caused some of our investors to pause."

Aiken County Council unanimously approved Feb. 7 a resolution that authorized the county to put the old hospital back up for sale "as is, where is."

There currently is a "Request for Bids" post on aikencountysc.gov.

Prospective buyers have until 3 p.m. March 28 to submit their offers for the 57,408-square-foot brick building and several other structures on the property.

Last year, Aiken City Council approved a request from Gumpert to change the zoning classification for the old hospital's site at 828 Richland Ave. W. from Office/Institutional to Planned Residential.

According to Gumpert's application, the plan was to transform the old hospital's site into a multifamily development.

Constructed prior to World War II, the old hospital, which is vacant, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to his continuing interest in the former medical facility, which also served as Aiken County government's headquarters for a time, Gumpert said he is spearheading efforts to repurpose the Warren Mill and the Vaucluse Mill.

The Planning Commission approved, with contingencies, the major development project for the Warren Mill during its meeting.

Warren Mill Invesco purchased the vacant textile factory, which was constructed in the 1890s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for $1.6 million in 2021.

The seller was Warren Mill LLC.

Warren Mill Invesco plans to turn the 11.1-acre site at 512 Trestle Pass in Warrenville into a 205-unit apartment complex.

The existing 190,677-square-foot, four-story brick building will be repurposed for housing, and three new, three-story structures will be constructed.

"It will be very similar to every other mill that we've developed, and the beauty of it is that there is a huge demand for that type of product," Gumpert said. "And so, we'll kind of stick to what we've done in the past. It's a market-rate, top-class project. You'll be really happy to look at it when it's done. You'll say, 'Wow, this is really something.'"

Others textile factory conversions that Gumpert has been involved with include The Lofts at Woodside Mill at Greenville and the Loray Mill Lofts in Gastonia, North Carolina.

"I hope to have Warren Mill under construction in April," Gumpert said.

The project should take approximately 18 months to complete.

"But don't hold me to that," said Gumpert with a smile. "It could take 20 months."

The Building Block Nonprofit Collective Trust bought the 170,860-square-foot Vaucluse Mill for $500,000 from Water Property Holding LLC in September of last year.

When asked about a timetable for that project, Gumpert replied, "I would say Vaucluse is a year behind this one (Warren Mill)."

The Vaucluse Mill was built in the 1870s and is in the Vaucluse Mill Village Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The 5.86-acre Vaucluse Mill site is at 95 Senn St. in the Vaucluse community.