Town of Bluffton to hold open house for $200K New Riverside barn, land purchase
The Town of Bluffton is asking for input on what to do with their New Year’s Eve purchase of 44 acres and an “iconic” New Riverside barn, according to town spokeswoman Debbie Szpanka.
The town hall, which invites residents to “interact with Town leaders and staff, see the site, review the site maps, complete a project questionnaire and review potential park program elements” according to a Friday press release, will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 200 New Riverside Road.
The town’s December 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.
The parcel was bought from Palmetto Bluff. Beaufort County property records indicate the Town of Bluffton paid $200,000 for the parcel, a figure confirmed by town spokesperson Debbie Szpanka in January.
The deal also included “the donation” of a 7-acre lot near the “southeastern intersection” of S.C. 46 and S.C. 170, a January release said. The deal was finalized Dec. 31, according to county records.
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,” town Mayor Lisa Sulka said in January.
She and fellow town council members hint that the land could be used for parks, gatherings and festivals.