What an apparent change of plans means for this Hilton Head tourist area
A vacant building in the Coligny Plaza area may not be the site of future workforce housing, despite the applicant stating otherwise in town documents.
Steven Stowers with Architecture 101 applied with the town’s Design Review Board at the end of July to renovate and repurpose the 12,000-square-foot building at 7 Lagoon Road. The project description in the application documents filed with the town said the 4,000-square-foot upper floor will become “state of the art housing supporting Island work force,” with “nine short and long-term units” at 305 and 335 square feet each.
The bottom floor, according to the project description, would “join the Coligny Plaza” by housing a single tenant that would “complement the Hilton Head Island Vision of providing (a) world class arts facility.”
But when approached Tuesday after the project received approval from the Design Review Board, Lee Lucier, who told board members he was “with Coligny,” said there was no housing or arts facility in the plan. He also said he is not the property owner. According to online county property records, the building is owned by Coligny Plaza LP and Coligny Holdings LLC.
Asked why the housing and arts facility proposals were included in the written project narrative, Lucier said he didn’t know, noting he didn’t write it. He could not provide an expected timeline for the project and declined to answer further questions.
In a phone conversation and email from Stowers on Aug. 11, a reporter with The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette was told to contact Lucier with specific questions about the project.
Chris Darnell, urban designer with the town, said Tuesday it’s his understanding that Lucier is a representative of Coligny and an active member of the project.
Darnell said the next step for the developers would be to have a development permit review, which is aimed at ensuring the project is following town guidelines.
The building is zoned “Coligny Resort,” which is “intended to promote development that integrates civic and public gathering spaces and connects to such places in nearby developments and public places,” according to the town’s land management ordinance.
Under the LMO, the building could be used for, among other things, residential, government or educational uses; hotels; offices; eating establishments; nightclubs or bars; liquor stores; and “community service uses.”
Previously, the building, which is across from Coligny Plaza and next to It’s Greek to Me restaurant, served as a police substation, and before that, a pharmacy, Darnell said earlier this month.
The project application was withdrawn after the Design Review Board meeting on Aug. 8 because the board wanted more information, though it generally liked the direction of the project, Darnell said previously.
Several other locations in the Coligny area are in the midst of redevelopment. Construction of a hotel as part of the Heritage Plaza redevelopment project, located on Pope Avenue down the street from the vacant building, is expected to begin in October.
The proposed Coligny park development, however, was put on hold because the town has been short on cash with the hurricane recovery, according to a recent release from town manager Steve Riley.
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Alex Kincaid: 843-706-8123, @alexkincaid22
This story was originally published August 22, 2017 at 5:41 PM with the headline "What an apparent change of plans means for this Hilton Head tourist area."