See all of that construction in Old Town Bluffton? Here’s a look at what’s to come
Construction seems to be happening on every block in Old Town Bluffton.
Workers are in the homestretch on two new parks in the historic district, and new buildings are rising from once-vacant lots.
Bluffton resident and Realtor Wayne McDonald said it’s easy for visitors to fall in love with Old Town and want to invest in what used to be “a sleepy little fishing village” but is now the cool place to be.
Buyers “just love the charm, the hospitality, the friendliness, the sense of community,” he said.
He described the sale of lots as “brisk.”
The flurry of growth may be concerning to some, but Mayor Lisa Sulka says it shouldn’t be a surprise.
“This is nothing we created over the last two years,” she said on Friday. “It’s something that’s been in the works for 20 years.”
The Old Town Master Plan, which was formally drafted in 2006, contains zoning and design details that officials have followed to the letter.
Old Town “is just is evolving into what that master plan said it would,” said Sulka, who added that she remembers Bluffton being a town of 700 people with one grocery store.
“It’s nothing that we didn’t expect to happen.”
Wright Family Park
The Calhoun Street dock near the landmark Church of the Cross has long been a gathering place for those hoping to spot a dolphin in the May River or enjoy a stunning sunset over the water.
A new park in the works along the nearby riverbank will give those nature lovers more room to spread out and enjoy the scenery.
In addition, it will have 19 parking spaces.
The town purchased the Wright Family Park property in 2017 and, over the summer, started phase one of the planned improvements.
The current phase added a boardwalk and a bulkhead to prevent erosion of the bluff.
A garage on the property will be repurposed as a catering kitchen for events in the park and will house restrooms.
Martin Family Park
Just a few blocks away, the Martin Family Park, bordered by Boundary Street and Lawrence Street across from the Dubois Park playground, also is nearing completion.
The park will include restroom facilities and an open lawn for events. It also adds a much-needed 60 parking spaces to Old Town.
The land was purchased by the town in 2016, and work started last March.
Both parks should be complete by the end of October, Sulka said.
Mixed-use development
McDonald, the Realtor, said the last 10-15 lots he’s sold have been to people who want to live close to Old Town, within walking distance or a short golf cart ride of restaurants, stores and other businesses.
“People just warm up to it,” he said. “It’s still very vibrant. It’s not ... shop worn.”
He added that the master plan and the town’s adherence to it have gone a long way to reassure investors who are spending in the $500,000 to $700,000 range to purchase a lot and build a residence on it.
Development is “controlled, but it’s controlled in a unique way,” he said.
Said Sulka: “We do things slow, but the end result is worth it.”
She refers residents who want to know more about development to interactive maps on the town’s website. Users can find more information using the permit application finder and the capital improvement projects tool.
“We’ve got little things going on in every part of our town,” she said.
