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mcovington@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5502
The Port Royal Design Review Board gave preliminary approval Thursday for the first phase of construction of Broad River View Landing, a commercial retail development proposed for 337 Savannah Highway.
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The vote came with the stipulation that property owner Jim Strecansky and designers KRA Inc. and Ward Edwards consider the board's suggestion to create more public gathering space in their plan.
The shopping center will comprise about 23 acres. The first phase of development covers the construction of eight acres, Strecansky said.
Strecansky was seeking final approval for the project after first presenting his plans nearly a year ago. Board members voted 3-2 to grant preliminary approval instead. He will have to bring a revised design back for the board's approval before starting construction.
The vote came after more than 30 minutes of often heated discussion about features of the development plan.
Board members Michele Michael, Brian Hermann and board consultant Cooter Ramsey argued Strecansky's design lacked the "villagefeeling" Port Royal wants to capture in new properties and developments.
"This is going to be the nicest strip mall we've had," Ramsey said, acknowledging the high-quality of the brickand other materials planned for use in the property. "But it's still a strip mall. It's absolutely not what we should be doing in the town of Port Royal if we're creating villages."
Michael agreed. She suggested Strecansky consider separating the single block of stores to create more passageways and areas where residents could meet, relax and enjoy the shopping center.
"You're not creating a place that's timeless," she said. "You meet the codes, but you also have to meet an aesthetic standard. It would make a better project for you and for our community...for us."
Strecansky disagreed He said separating the space into individual blocks of buildings and adding benches, fountains and more green areas could cost his developer, who he did not name, valuable acreage and square footage for retail renters.
"It's a very nice building. We meet all the codes and then some," Strecansky said. He doubted the developer would agree to major changes to the proposed design, but said he would make small tweaks before again seeking final approval in the coming months.
Board members Sing Pappas and John Ellerbe sided with Strecansky and voted against the motion to give preliminary instead of final approval. Michael, Hermann and board chair Sally Germer voted for the motion.
The Port Royal Redevelopment Commission also met Thursday to discuss the use of and incentives for a planned multi-county industrial park.
A joint effort between Beaufort and Jasper counties, the multi-county industrial park is not a place. It's a designation Port Royal officials could give to businesses relocating or expanding facilities in certain parts of town. The designation would allow officials to offer those businesses tax and infrastructure incentives in exchange for picking Port Royal.
Commission members took no official action at the meeting, but they:
•Examined a map of potential multi-county industrial park property locations and talked about the kinds of incentives they're willing to offer specific industries.
•Informally agreed to inventory available commercial properties and make alist to use when deciding where the multi-county industrial park designation would go.
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