State rejects all bids for five acres of waterfront property on Hilton Head

The state rejected all bids, including one from Hilton Head Island, to buy five acres of prime waterfront real estate on Broad Creek, officials said Wednesday.

It's possible, however, that Beaufort County could help bolster the town's offer, town and county officials said.

Both county and town officials said they were considering submitting offers for the land in August, when the state advertised an auction for it.

The land is on Helmsman Way, near a county boat landing and The Crossings Park. It was used as a staging area while the Cross Island Parkway was built.

Hilton Head submitted a bid of about $1 million, town manager Steve Riley said.

Although Beaufort County did not bid, County Council Chairman Weston Newton sent a letter to the state asking it to postpone the sale for six months to give the county more time to determine if it would act.

State officials responded that they could not accommodate the request. The state received no acceptable bids, however, and now intends to "negotiate with those that submitted bids and others who are interested in purchasing the property," state officials wrote Newton.

Pete Poore, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said he did not know how many bids the state received or who the bidders were.

Riley said the town might be open to working with the county to make another offer. Both entities have collaboratively purchased several other properties on the island, he said.

"That could possibly all come together," Riley said.

County administrator Gary Kubic agreed.

"We'll probably at least broach the topic with the town," he said. "It's always worth at least a look."

Kubic hopes the county's intervention might keep the state from selling the land before the county decides if the property could serve a public use, possibly related to boating or recreation.

"Maybe that will at least give them pause," he said.