Developers team up to develop vacant Whitehall Plantation
Two Beaufort developers say they intend to develop the vacant Whitehall Plantation property on Lady's Island, near the foot of the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge.
Steve Tully and 303 Associates, LLC, led by Dick Stewart, are forming Whitehall Park LLC, and want to build single-family homes on the 19-plus-acre property that overlooks the Beaufort River.
"Whitehall Park plans to redevelop this infill property in a manner that compliments the character of historic Downtown Beaufort and create a new great, walkable neighborhood within the (city) of Beaufort," according to a news release.
Various developers have attempted to build on the property for more than 10 years. The city's master plan envisions Whitehall as a commercial and residential center.
The most recent efforts Aslan Whitehall LLC, a subsidiary of Blue Ridge Group Inc., tanked when the economy took a nose dive in 2008.
Aslan still owns the property, according to Beaufort County property records. The combined total assessed value of the land owned by Aslan is $1.75 million, according to those records. The news release did not indicate if the land will be sold or developed in partnership.
Civic Green, a grassroots group created in the spring to oppose a plan to redevelop the Beaufort Downtown Marina parking lot, had a forum in August during which Stewart, who is a former owner of Whitehall, spoke about the potential for the property.
At the time, he estimated 100 homes and a three-acre park could be built there. Residents could easily walk downtown to shop if a walkway was built between the bridge and the remnants of a causeway that was part of the original bridge linking Lady's Island to downtown, Stewart said.
Development of that land could generate property taxes and bolster downtown businesses. Revenue from Whitehall could be tied to the funding for a parking garage that has been discussed at Port Republic Square, Stewart said.
Follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/IPBG_Erin.
Related content:
- Civic Green meeting focuses on Whitehall, Waterfront Park, parking , Aug. 21, 2014
- Beaufort developer seeks to rezone part of Whitehall Plantation , Feb. 20, 2012
- Neighbors oppose rezoning of near Whitehall Plantation , Feb. 28, 2012
- Whitehall project off to a rough start , Dec. 13, 2007
This story was originally published October 31, 2014 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Developers team up to develop vacant Whitehall Plantation ."