Major Aiken groups support Project Pascalis extending into Newberry Street

Landon Stamper, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·4 min read

Apr. 18—Three prominent Aiken groups have come out in support of Newberry Street's inclusion into Project Pascalis, the downtown Aiken revitalization project.

The Aiken Municipal Development Commission unanimously passed a resolution in support of the city of Aiken conveying a portion of that street to RPM Development Partners LLC during a Monday morning meeting.

This resolution also was supported by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce and the Aiken Corporation.

Last week, the Aiken Standard reported on new plans for Project Pascalis that included the city's old Municipal Building being transformed into a conference center with retail space. Previously, the conference center was designed to be located between Newberry Street and Bee Lane.

Under the new proposed designs, an area known as The Promenade would replace the southbound lane on Newberry Street between Park and Richland avenues with grass, water features and trees.

"The city of Aiken's leadership has the opportunity to create positive and transformational change to the Newberry Street Festival Area," stated Keith Wood, chairman of the development commission. "The project is expected to create in excess of 150 new jobs and replace lost surface parking along Newberry with structured parking. It will also bring an estimated 150 new full-time residents downtown to shop and dine on a daily basis, creating a minimum estimated increase of $3.3 million annually in local government property, hospitality and accommodations taxes while maintaining the essence and character that has long defined Aiken."

Aiken City Council unanimously passed, 7-0, on first reading an ordinance to convey part of Newberry Street during its March 28 meeting.

Currently, the project's architects are not doing any more drawings until the Newberry Street matter comes to a resolution, J. David Jameson, a commission member and president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, said during the meeting.

The resolution reads that the commission recommends Aiken City Council to have the second reading of its ordinance to convey part of Newberry Street during its April 25 meeting.

"In so doing, the council will allow the planning and engineering and due diligence related to the project to move ahead unimpeded by uncertainty," according to the resolution.

The Newberry Street festival center changes would "place a premium on a safe and comfortable pedestrian-focused esplanade akin to a central square for the City of Aiken," according to the resolution.

"The additional landscaping and public green space will provide ample space for outdoor dining, activities, events and gathering of all types, and will extend the pedestrian experience so successfully created when The Alley was closed to traffic in 2017," reads the release. "The reimagined Festival Center would accommodate both pedestrians and vehicles well due to proposed modifications to the traffic flow on the block."

The Aiken Chamber of Commerce board of directors voted Monday to endorse moving forward with the project.

"The Aiken Chamber has been advocating for Aiken's 'cool factor' since the Blue Ribbon panel report was issued in 2013 and again in 2017 with the Compelling Place to Live Report," stated Chamber Chairman Norm Dunagan. "Both reports returned with recommendations to recruit more retail in the downtown area, provide more housing in the downtown footprint and to create areas that entice citizens to gather, mix and make connections. A community's economic vitality is key to its quality of life, and this is a giant step in the right direction."

The Aiken Corporation voted to endorse the Project Pascalis site plan and Newberry Street changes.

"The Board of Directors of the Aiken Corporation is pleased to offer its enthusiastic support for Project Pascalis," stated board Chair Buzz Rich. "Creation of additional housing opportunities, retail space, and a new hotel is critical to the prosperity to our downtown. Further, the transformation of one lane of Newberry Street into a pedestrian promenade offering green space and a more user friendly festival area is an exciting addition to the project."

There will be two public input sessions Wednesday, one at 11:30 a.m. and one at 5:30 p.m. for residents to voice their opinions and ask questions about Project Pascalis. The meetings will be held in City Council chambers at the old Municipal Building, at 214 Park Ave. S.W.

The format will include discussion of Project Pascalis by the involved developers.