Forming and re-forming Aiken

Aiken is exploding. It is being both formed and re-formed.

It is being formed with growth that includes new stores and housing developments.

And it is being re-formed through refurbishment of existing property and by what appears to be an increase of retirees in the population mix.

FineDeering Development Group has announced plans to build two significant communities between Vaucluse Road and Bettis Academy Road. Sage Creek and Trolley Run Station are expected to eventually include 5,000 homes.

Claritas Inc. estimated in 2004 that there were 23,319 occupied households in Zip Codes 29801 and 29803. The FineDeering projections represent 21 percent of that total.

That alone would be a huge housing gain for the Aiken area. But there are already many new developments - Spring Stone, South Meadows and Mallard Lake, to name a few - that are adding houses almost daily. The units range from patio homes and duplexes to single family stand alones.

Retailers are anticipating the buying power of these new residents. Atlanta Bread Company and Nextel are brand new on Whiskey Road. O'Charley's restaurant is under construction as part of the Shoppes at Whiskey. Other stores are expected in The Shoppes at Brookhaven and at Whiskey Station. Stein Mart will presumably occupy the former Kmart building in Hitchcock Plaza.

The fuel for this growth seems to be retirees. For a number of years, Aiken has been touted and marketed as a great place to retire. Apparently those efforts have been highly successful.

Employment and school statistics point toward retirees making up most of the population gains.

While the number of jobs in Aiken County has grown, employment does not seem to match the population gains. State statistics showed 55,268 county residents employed in 1990. In April, that number was 64,730. Further, the school population in 1995 was listed at 24,518. It was only about 300 more this year.

Just what is Aiken's population these days? I was in a meeting recently when City Manager Roger LeDuc was asked that question. His answer surprised me a bit.

Roger said the population within city limits is about 30,000. However, if one counts those living within areas served by the City's water, sewer, fire and recreations systems - those areas within about a five-mile radius of downtown Aiken - the population is about 70,000.

I didn't feel that I knew enough about the changes happening along Whiskey Road, so I recently asked Roger to take a ride with me and give me some background. We are blessed to have Roger help lead our city. He is a man of vision and compassion.

I knew some of the development on Whiskey Road was within city limits and some not. Roger showed me where City and County control play leap frog along the busy thoroughfare.

Much planning has been done to keep Whiskey Road from turning into something resembling Augusta's Washington Road. I'm convinced it won't end up that way, but there is still much work to be done.

Helping manage the growth will be:

• Parallel roads, both east and west of Whiskey, that will allow traffic to flow without entering Whiskey;
• Several significant roads perpendicular to Whiskey, which help minimize the number of traffic lights needed;
• Parking lot cut throughs, which allow shoppers or residents to go from some shopping areas or housing developments to others without having to drive out onto a road;
• Landscaping requirements for new development and plans to re-landscape some existing areas.

I don't believe we can put up fences that would stop Aiken from growing. But I believe that our collective efforts can assure that Aiken maintains its village atmosphere.

Part of that belief comes from seeing the success with areas in Aiken that are being re-formed.

They include:

• Asheton Oaks, where a single-family development has replaced a trailer park that required frequent visits from Public Safety officers;
• Three-story brownstones replacing a gas station on Park Avenue;
• Curbing, sidewalks and streetlights along Hayne Avenue;
• Planned shops and housing that will replace the closed movie theaters on Laurens Street;
• The refurbishment of the Eulalie Salley & Company Realtors building on Laurens Street;
• The planned restoration of the former Immanuel Institute on York Street, turning it into the African American Center for History, Art and Culture, an interactive learning center;
• Significant renovations at First Baptist Church, just in time to celebrate its 200th birthday;
• A new fresh market on Park Avenue.

Toole Hill is a lovely lay of land but wasn't the nicest neighborhood in Aiken. Our city government initiated an investment there that will pay off for years. Private investors and the faith community - particularly Second Baptist Church - are picking up the effort.

Curbing and tree-lined sidewalks are in place. Homes will feature porches and fences.

Residents are bursting with pride. They have a sign that says, "It's A New Day: Watch Us Grow!"

Second Baptist Associate Pastor Brendolyn Jenkins moved into Toole Hill and said it is like a brilliant butterfly emerging. A strong sense of community has been established. Residents are looking out for one another.

And there's more good news.

Very soon, Toole Hill and some other areas will receive the benefit of a flood of youthful energy. Arranged through the efforts of Mike Chandler and Millbrook Baptist Church, World Changers will provide hands-on help.

Sponsored by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, World Changers provides mission experiences for senior high youths. Over 300 youths from across the country will work on projects in Aiken. They will make a difference in the lives of many in Aiken. They may not know it, but their lives will be forever changed as well.

Other Aiken churches are joining this effort by providing meals and encouragement. Many in Aiken will soon feel just as proud as the residents of Toole Hill of the improvements to this neighborhood.

There is no guarantee with Aiken's exploding growth that it can keep its village charm. But if we take the same care with Aiken's "forming" as what we are seeing with its "re-forming," it can be done.

FineDeering's master plan for Sage Creek and Trolley Run Station calls for the developments to include parks, walking paths, bike trails and commercial areas "patterned after downtown Aiken."

Richard Fine, one of the development's partners, was quoted as saying, "We think Aiken has a lot of unique charm to it. It has the best of both worlds. It has the warmth of a small town and the sophisticated charm of a large metropolitan area."

Those are fine words, and this intent should be mirrored by all developers.

And we citizens should recognize that our future is now, and that we should participate in it.

A few ways we can help control our destiny are to:

• Encourage City and County Council members to coordinate efforts on Whiskey Road;
• Attend planning meetings;
• Be involved in civic efforts. This can be particularly beneficial to Aiken's newcomers. Be it with your church, a club, the United Way or other non-profit groups, it's probably the fastest way for you to meet some awfully good people who will make you feel at home. You will quickly understand the caring nature of our community.
• Read your newspaper. Sure, that's self-serving, but I believe it is the best way for you to remain informed about the changes occurring in your community.

It exploded with the addition of the Savannah River Plant in the 1950s and then in the late 1980s when the SRS was supposed to expand.

Not all development efforts have been pretty. But hopefully we have learned from our mistakes.

It is the best place I know of to live.

A healthy interest in Aiken's future by you and me can help keep it that way.

Thank you for reading our newspaper. You can still reach the Aiken Standard by calling 648-2311, but most of us at the newspaper now have direct phone lines. Mine is 644-2345. You may write: Aiken Standard, P.O. Box 456, Aiken, S.C., 29802. My e-mail address is shunter@aikenstandard.com.