Proposed development at Railroad Corner in Orangeburg, South Carolina is being welcomed by Claflin University students looking to have more excitement around campus! Get the full story from Gene Zaleski at The Times and Democrat below.
Claflin University students say they’re pleased the City of Orangeburg is planning to redevelop Railroad Corner, and they’re hopeful the plans bring more opportunities for students.
“It is a really good idea,” senior Erykah Weldon said Monday.
“Orangeburg has two HBCU’s or two colleges and there is not a lot to do in Orangeburg at all. That is why it is so crazy. This should be more of a college town, really. They should attend to their students,” she said.
The Summerville resident said she and many of her friends travel outside Orangeburg to find outlets that are attractive for college students.
“We go to Charleston or Columbia to even find stuff,” she said. “We don’t even have a movie theater or anything. There really is not much to do besides on campus and the food offerings are not that good either.”
City of Orangeburg officials went to Claflin’s campus on Monday as part of an effort to talk with students about the proposed redevelopment of Railroad Corner.
The city is seeking input on three scenarios for the redevelopment of Railroad Corner, which is bounded by Russell Street, Boulevard Street and Magnolia Street.
Claflin freshman Angel Lumar said redevelopment would be great.
“It is an old area. Kids don’t really have much do to other than bad things, so it is giving them something to look forward to and be proud of with their college town,” she said.
Lumar, who lives on campus, says there are not many places to hang out in Orangeburg except for campus, Cloud Nine and houses that university students rent.
“There is not much for us to do,” Lumar said. “There are not many movie theaters.”
She’d also like more food options.
“That would be great to have new restaurants and new foods to choose from,” she said.
Claflin junior Timothy Outing said the redevelopment, “will bring a lot to Orangeburg.”
Outing said when he is not on campus, he typically hangs out at Cook-Out.
“Along that strip would probably be the best place to add restaurants,” Outing said.
Orangeburg needs more to keep college students here during college and after graduation, such as “bowling alleys, movie theaters,” he said.
Outing said he is happy the MAX Family Entertainment Center has opened on Red Bank Road, but says there needs to be something in the city or within walking distance for students.
“If you open up more attractions, that will allow more students to come to the universities,” he said. That “will allow Orangeburg to grow.”
Crossing the railroad tracks is a problem, Outing said.
“I remember doing that my freshman year,” he said. “I think that is the only problem with some freshmen, depending on what type of connections they have.”
Outing said the tracks can be dangerous and that something should be done to improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians.
Claflin junior Nya Grantham said she likes the idea of the corner being developed.
“I think that it would be beneficial for college students because some of us don’t have cars or other resources to go to Columbia or Charleston,” Grantham said. “The fact is that is closer, like walking distance. It would be beneficial to us students.”
Grantham said she feels safe around the railroad tracks and says signs are visible.
“Just go in groups and be safe,” she said.
Community public input meetings were also scheduled for Monday evening and Tuesday morning. The Tuesday meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the City Gym at 410 Broughton Street in Orangeburg.
Three development scenarios have been proposed for Railroad Corner based on information provided at public engagement sessions.
The three development scenarios are:
• Scenario A — Preserve and infill: The primary objective is to preserve all the buildings on the site and restore them with targeted retail and commercial uses and overlaying the area with mixed uses and residential uses. Tax credits would be available under this scenario.
The scenario includes:
– Commercial space: 19,300 square feet
– Apartments: 35,800 square feet
– Cultural: 6,700 square feet
– Parking spaces: 124
– Total development cost: $16 million
– Anticipated public investment: $4.5 to $5 million
The scenario would add a six-story, mixed-use development with ground-floor commercial and upper-story residential. Under this scenario, the former State Theater would be a potential museum or cultural space.
The scenario would preserve the service station building along Russell Street and include multi-family units along Treadwell Street.
Scenario A’s program is limited in size due to the preservation of all historic structures. Therefore, this program adds height at the intersection of Russell and Boulevard streets to create a project that could be attractive to a private developer.
As the smallest program with the most preservation, Scenario A will require the most public investment to be feasible.
• Scenario B — Reuse and energize: The primary objective would keep some historic elements on the site, but not necessarily the buildings.
This scenario 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.
This design would open up the site, creating walk-through opportunities with urban and plaza spaces combined with retail.
The design would allow individuals to walk to Railroad Corner or arrive there as a destination.
More specifics under this scenario:
– Commercial space: 14,300 square feet
– Apartments: 51,200 square feet
– Cultural: 6,700 square feet
– Parking spaces: 132
– Total development cost: $18.2 million
– Anticipated public investment: $4.5 million to $5 million
Scenario B preserves the State Theater building, the building adjacent to it to the north, and preserves the facades of the shops along Russell Street.
Scenario B adds a four-story, mixed-use development with ground-floor commercial and upper-story residential. Scenario B reimagines 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.
Scenario B allows for a slightly larger program than Scenario A. However, due to the preservation of some of the existing buildings, Scenario B will still need similar public investment as Scenario A to be feasible.
• Scenario C — Regenerate and overlay: Building entirely new.
This design scenario would incorporate and maintain pedestrian areas and add a mixed-use development. There would also be more flexibility when it comes to building footprints and parking.
A new build would still aim to focus on the use of materials with an eye toward the area’s history.
More specifics under this scenario:
– Commercial space: 11,400 square feet
– Apartments: 62,400 square feet
– Cultural: 6,700 square feet
– Parking spaces: 132
– Total development cost: $18 million
– Anticipated public investment: $4 million to $4.5 million
Scenario C assumes that none of the existing buildings can be preserved due to structural or cost reasons.
Scenario C adds a four-story, mixed-use development with ground floor commercial and upper-story residential.
Scenario C includes a new cultural space (potential museum) where the former State Theater is located, extends multifamily units along Treadwell Street and redevelops the former gas station into new commercial space.
To align with the guiding public interests, Scenario C would incorporate murals and other artistic elements to integrate the rich history of the Railroad Corner site.
Scenario C can support a larger program and will require the least amount of public investment to be feasible.
The effort
The City of Orangeburg engaged the University of North Carolina’s School of Government Development Finance Initiative in December 2020 to analyze the redevelopment feasibility of the corner, and assist with attracting private investment for the redevelopment of the site.
Since August of this year, both the city and DFI engaged project architect Perkins & Will to help refine and update the development scenarios.
Following the public input sessions, DFI will present its findings to Orangeburg City Council for the selection of a final preferred development plan.
Orangeburg City Council will vote on the development plan. The plan will then be taken to a private development firm to build it out.
