Bluffton just bought some new land — and a barn. Here’s how much it cost and what’s planned

Bluffton just got a little bit bigger after picking up a few dozen acres of land — and a new barn.

In a statement emailed Wednesday afternoon, the Town of Bluffton announced it has acquired 44 acres from Palmetto Bluff in New Riverside.

The acquisition includes a 37-acre parcel at 200 New Riverside Road “commonly referred to as the ‘New Riverside Barn Property,’” the release said. A 2,700 square-foot barn sits on that land and is visible to motorists traveling near the traffic circle connecting S.C. 46 and S.C. 170.

Beaufort County property records indicate the Town of Bluffton paid $200,000 for the parcel, a figure confirmed Wednesday afternoon by town spokesperson Debbie Szpanka.

The deal also included “the donation” of a seven-acre lot near the “southeastern intersection” of S.C. 46 and S.C. 170, the release said.

The open-space land is “expected to be master planned for use as civic space,” the release said.

The New Riverside area has been, in recent years, one of the fastest-growing parts of Beaufort County.

Located in the southwestern part of the county, it is just a few miles from neighboring Jasper County, and about a 20-minute drive to the Georgia state line and the Talmadge Bridge that leads to Savannah.

The barn “has the potential to become a Bluffton icon,” said town Mayor Lisa Sulka, who was quoted in the release.

She and fellow town council members hint that the land could be used for parks, gatherings and festivals.

The deal was finalized Dec. 31, according to county records.