City officials push revitalization as people voice concerns

In an April public meeting at Stevenson Auditorium, questions were raised about the feasibility and necessity of the proposed projects. And concerns were expressed about tax increases on city residents to help pay for the projects.

Others voiced their support, saying improving the downtown area will help attract development and improve and lessen the tax burden on city residents in the long run.

During the public input meeting, the city focused on a number of revitalization plans with a focus on redevelopment of Railroad Corner (Russell, Magnolia and Boulevard streets); remodeling of the former First Citizens Bank at Russell and Broughton streets for a new city hall; and development of a skatepark and other recreational opportunities near Edisto Memorial Gardens.

Orangeburg City Administrator Sidney Evering said the general reason for the projects is an attempt to provide Orangeburg residents and young people such as university and college students a reason to stay in Orangeburg, both while they are at the universities and following graduation.

“I think it is important that we change that perception and those feelings,” Evering said. “We want our best and brightest all of our young people to stay here, take root, to grow to raise families to continue to our society and our community. In order to keep them we have to give them reasons to stay here.”

“Downtown is like the front porch of your home: If your front porch is decrepit, falling apart, not looking very inviting, not very welcoming, it says something about you. The same could be said as it relates to our downtown,” Evering said. “Like so many downtowns, it has seen its better days.”

Evering said in order to revitalize downtown it will take investment, will, commitment, resources and collaboration.

Railroad Corner

Over the past five years, the city spent about $2.3 million on 12 properties and 1.5 acres on Railroad Corner.

The 1.305 acres has a total assessed value of $288,220. The buildings have 15,984 square feet of space with a total building value of $137,020,

Orangeburg businessman Rob Hibbits said the city has proven not to be a “good steward” of taxpayer dollars in purchasing and developing properties in the past. He questioned if current plans will be any different.

Hibbits questioned the city’s purchase of property at Railroad Corner and said it paid ’10 times the amount of money for that property which could have been saved and used or already started renovations (on a new city hall).”

Hibbits said the city has built a recreational park that has nothing for adults without kids to do, and the city’s basketball courts are “not well run.”

“You are not a steward of my money because you didn’t make a fair deal in my opinion,” Hibbits said.

For the past year, the city has engaged in significant predevelopment feasibility analysis on the 1.5-acre site in partnership with the Development Finance Initiative, a program of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s School of Government.

This work has included a market analysis, a site assessment to determine a design program that could maximize development potential, and a financial feasibility study to ensure the project’s economic viability.

The city and DFI held a series of community-engagement sessions, working with Orangeburg residents, downtown stakeholders, and Claflin University and South Carolina State University students to better understand community-wide public interests.

North Carolina-based Perkins & Will is the architect for the project.

The city is soliciting feedback from development teams for what is commonly referred to as the “Gateway” to Orangeburg. The solicitations are due back in May and the city hopes to select a private development partner by early summer 2022. The target for work at the corner would be in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The plan would reallocate building facades or foundations or materials in new ways that aim to activate the site and give it a sense of nostalgia, maintain the sense of place and history, but provide the benefit of some new architecture.

The recommendation would add four-story, mixed-use development with ground-floor commercial and upper-story residential primarily for student housing.

The recommendation sees the former State Theater building as a cultural space (potential museum), extends multifamily units along Treadwell Street and redevelops the former gas station into new commercial space.

The plan would open up the site, creating walk-through opportunities with urban and plaza spaces combined with retail. It calls for additional parking on Treadwell Street.

Orangeburg resident William Green expressed concern that the proposed design of the Railroad Corner takes away the historical facades of the buildings. He also questioned why the residential component is only for students and not for any resident of Orangeburg.

Evering said the rendering of the project is subject to change. He said civil engineering will be done to see what can be saved or repurposed.

Evering said market analysis determined the student housing was the most fiscally responsible way to make the project a success.

Green noted the student population at both South Carolina State University and Claflin University has dropped.

“If you don’t have enough students to fill the campus up, why would you take the students off the campus and put outside student housing?” Green said.

Evering said there are already students who live off campus and that the universities would be a part of the project.

“We are not taking potential revenue from them from their student housing. That was discussed early on and agreed upon that this was not competing with their student housing,” Evering said.

Green suggested a mixed use of residential housing as well because students are not in the area year-long. He said the properties will be vacant in the summer.

“I don’t see how that can be beneficial when students are not here year-round and have residents here that are actually looking for a place to stay,” Green said.

Orangeburg Assistant City Administrator John Singh said the RR Corner project could serve as a catalyst for further residential development.

The city has received a $350,000 grant to study the pedestrian overpass design. Other grant monies are also being sought.

City officials say the Norfolk Southern Railroad has expressed a preference for an overpass rather than an at-grade crossing.

Evering said the desire is to make the overpass offer interactive opportunities with monuments and historical markers.

The redevelopment recommendation would cost about $18.2 million, with an anticipated public investment of between $4.5 million and $5 million, according to project officials.

They say for development to be successful, it would need to have university partnership for housing, federal and state tax credits, grants, public and university partnerships and public participation.

“I love this,” Gary Robinson said. “I love this for our city. This is all going to make Orangeburg a place that people want to live and come to.”

Robinson said by boosting Orangeburg, it will help the entire county as the county seat, noting it is important to increase downtown business because that in turn will increase sales tax dollars, which in turn will enable more projects to be done.

Robinson asked if there are any plans to help find grant monies to help owners renovate second floors for building quarters.

Evering said with façade grants to downtown business owners, he is hoping money will enable business owners to put living quarters upstairs.

Green echoed Robinson’s desire to see downtown living.

“That is one of the most important things that needs to be down for downtown Orangeburg,” Green said, noting the city needs to have upstairs living quarters, affordable apartments and townhouses off of Russell Street.

Evering said about 90% of developers he talks to have included a downtown living component in their plans for downtown revitalization.

Green also wondered why downtown building owners are only offered façade grants. He said many buildings need a new roof.

“The liability to offer grants for roofs is extremely high,” Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association Executive Director Candice Roberson said. “You don’t see many roof grants in any main street or downtown program throughout not just the state but across the board.”

“To get he façade grant your roof has in good condition,” Roberson said. “That is one of the requirements for any façade grant.”

City hall, Stevenson Auditorium

The current Orangeburg City Hall has been in use since 1927.

City officials say a new building is needed to house City Hall as it has outgrown its current facility on Middleton Street. There are also structural issues with the building, such as rusting pipes and roof leaks.

City officials say a new city hall would allow citizens to have all departments under one roof and is touted by city officials as serving as a downtown anchor.

The city plans to borrow and spend about $7 million to help pay for the renovation of the former 17,000-square-foot to 18,000-square-foot First Citizens Bank building at Russell and Broughton streets. The estimated cost of the remodel would be about $6.2 million.

The former bank building is 50 to 60 years old but the funds would help upgrade all plumbing and wiring.

The new city hall would have the addition of a third floor and a rooftop terrace and serve as a place where the community can rent out for holiday parties and wedding receptions, with a plan to landscape the area near city hall that would help tie the new city hall to Edisto Gardens.

The borrowing package received final approval by a 5-2 vote. Councilmen Bernard Haire and Richard Stroman voted in opposition.

Both men have consistently expressed concerns about the high price for the remodeling effort and its impact on taxpayers. Both men also expressed concerns about adding a third floor to the building.

Under the proposed 30-year borrowing plan, there would be no tax increase for the first two years of the bond.

During the third year, the city’s millage rate would increase by 7.19 mills to pay for the borrowing. The cost would eventually increase to a high of 10.87 mills during the payment of the bond.

The impact on a $100,000 home after two years would be a $28.70 property tax increase per year, before increasing to a $43.48 property tax increase at the maximum annual amount in 2028.

State law puts a limit on how much local governments can raise millage to keep up with the cost of living or industry loss.

City officials hope the bond could be paid off with money obtained from the fifth round of the county’s capital project sales tax, which voters will be asked to approve in 2024. City officials are expecting voters to approve the referendum as they have done the previous four times it has come before them.

Officials expect by using the CPST, the project will be paid off before the higher tax increases kick in.

“The City of Orangeburg has not raised taxes in a number of years,” Evering said. “‘If you don’t have some incremental increases over a period of time, then what you will find you are just kicking the can down the road and you won’t be able to maintain the level of services that you deserve.”

Hibbits expressed concern about the project and said he hopes the city will be able to remodel the former bank building at a “more reasonable price.”

“You talk about the top floor, the roof as being a venue,” Hibbits said. “Let me tell you, as a businessman, any time competition comes in, I am going to lose 10 to 15% of my business. So what you are doing then instead of helping the community, you are competing against the community.”

“We have a depreciating tax base and … I know everything you build here will take more employees, more staff and more upkeep. I am concerned greatly,” Hibbits said. “If you are a hard-working citizen who worked all your life to own something, and then have it eaten away by tax increases all the time, is very tough.”

Evering answered Hibbits.

“If the city is shrinking and people are leaving and business are leaving, you have a smaller and smaller tax base that increases the tax burden on those who are still here,” Evering said. “If you don’t do anything to increase the tax base, the city will slowly die.”

Evering said there is a flip side to competitive concerns expressed by Hibbits.

“What we are trying to do is to get more people downtown to the city to actually help grow your business,” Evering said. “Revitalization for downtown will be beneficial to our merchants. That is hard to argue against.”

Evering questioned if the projects proposed will mean an increase in personnel and maintenance.

He said under one roof he is expecting there to be less maintenance needs.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said another reason to move city hall is to improve security, and the current building is not handicapped-accessible. Butler said the new city hall would also have a drive-through facility to enable seniors to be able to conduct city business without getting out of a vehicle.

“This is not just about raising money or millage,” Butler said. “This is the safety of our employees. This building is in bad shape. It is in really bad shape.”

The proposal would also use CPST monies to pay for the Stevenson Auditorium upgrades. The current city hall adjoins Stevenson, and the space could be used for Stevenson events once city employees move out.

The one-cent tax has helped fund a number of projects over the years since being first approved by voters in November 1998.

The city has about $1.1 million in CPST monies that could go toward the Stevenson upgrades. It is expected the renovations could start next year on Stevenson, and additional funds, if approved from the 2024 referendum, could be used for other Stevenson renovations.

The 600-seat theater’s needs have been identified as new roof, carpeting, new lighting, a new stage, expanded lobby, new dressing rooms and new restrooms.

City officials say the building is not up to modern standards for quality performances or events.

“This facility is vastly underutilized,” Evering said, noting the Newberry Opera House and and Sumter Opera House are very active. “I see no reason why we can’t dot that here in Orangeburg and make this facility a destination site for folks all over the country.”

He said the opera houses have positively impacted downtown with money staying in the towns.

“Our dollars are going to Columbia, or Summerville or Charleston and other areas throughout the state,” Evering said.

Skatepark project

The project proposal is to build a skatepark at Andrew Dibble Park near Edisto Gardens.

The first phase would be the skatepark pump track and food court structures at a cost of about $1.1 million.

The city has about $580,000 in CPST monies that will go toward the project. There are also another $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act monies will go toward the (skatepark, pump track, pickle ball courts, volleyball courts). A walking trail, fishing pier, and dog park are also planned.

Grant monies will also be sought by the city.

“We want to embellish what we have,” Evering said. “Make it better.”

City officials say there are number of skaters who have expressed a desire for a skatepark.

Robinson asked if a committee of skaters has been set up to help with the process. Evering said while a formal committee has not been set up, the city will continue to engage with skaters through meetings. Evering said he will also look to set up a committee involving skateboarders.

Another speaker echoed the importance of having skaters participate in the development process.

“We have not gotten to the point of bid or putting anything out for construction yet,” Evering said, noting public input will be taken into consideration before putting the project out to bid.

Suggestions were made that the city bring in other communities that have skateparks and to ensure that the project is built appropriately and that any issues such as flooding does not negatively impact the ability to use the skatepark.

“We have done some preliminary geotech work to make sure the land will support a skatepark,” Evering said.

City officials say the inspiration of the park is the one built at Columbia’s Owens Field in Rosewood. The Columbia skatepark was planned and designed by Wally Hollyday Design — a California-based general contractor specializing in the design and construction of custom concrete skateparks.