DOwntown Aiken REDevelopment

The project has a two-year timeline.

Yes! The historic Hotel Aiken is the jewel of the project and will be rehabilitated for use as a hotel once more. The development team is working with Historic Aiken Foundation (HAF), the SC Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the National Parks Service (NPS) to ensure the building’s character-defining features are preserved.

Yes! This project preserves as much of the historic McGhee Block as possible. The development team is working with Historic Aiken Foundation (HAF), the SC Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the National Parks Service (NPS) to ensure the buildings’ character-defining features are preserved.

The Warnecke Cleaners building will be demolished.

Bee Lane will remain as a pedestrian walkway and be reactivated by new construction on either side. Bee Lane will be bordered to the west by a new addition to the hotel and to the east by a new mixed-use building. The new mixed-use building will include ground-level retail/restaurant spaces with multifamily residences on the upper levels.

The proposed multifamily building along Bee Lane is four stories tall. It conforms to the City’s 55’ maximum allowable height.  The fourth level is stepped back from the face of the building to minimize the street-level perception of its height.

This project does not encroach on Newberry Street.

The hotel will have between 70-80 rooms and suites.

Yes, there will be a few different food and beverage outlets within the hotel and they will be open to the public.

Oliver Hospitality has requested a permanent easement of 15 parking spaces along Richland Avenue next to the hotel’s historic entrance. This area will be dedicated to guest arrival, unloading, and valet services. There will be no hotel vehicle traffic on Bee Lane.

The planned structure will fit between Newberry Hall, the historic retail buildings along Richland, and the new retail planned for Bee Lane. It will remain under the downtown height limit of 55 feet and provide 191 parking spaces. Pedestrian access will be available via stairs and an elevator connecting to Bee Lane and Newberry Street. The design includes “exhibit” windows along Newberry Street to soften the façade and maintain a storefront appearance, and all vehicle entry and exit will occur on Newberry Street with adequate queuing space before Richland Avenue.

Yes. The hotel plans to lease parking spaces from the city to support valet operations. Leasing valet and residential parking from municipal garages is a common practice in many cities.

No. The city is building a public parking garage to support all downtown businesses by increasing overall parking capacity for visitors who shop dine, live, and stay in downtown Aiken. Like other businesses, the hotel depends on city services, such as utilities, waste disposal, public safety, and parking. Convenient parking is essential for all businesses, and the current supply does not meet demand, especially as new development continues.

Public parking structures have been proven to stimulate downtown activity. A frequently cited example is Knoxville’s Market Square, where new structured parking helped transform a declining district into a vibrant economic hub. Aiken’s garage is intended to create similar benefits, bringing more visitors, generating more spending at local businesses, and supporting long-term economic vitality across the entire downtown district.

The proposed parking garage will occupy the lots south of the existing McGhee Block and north of Newberry Hall.  It will be screened by a retail and multifamily building along Bee Lane, the McGhee block retail buildings along Richland, and retail display spaces along Newberry. 

The proposed parking garage is 55’ tall. This meets the City of Aiken’s height requirements for new construction in the downtown area and keeps the parking garage below the roofline of the adjacent 4-story mixed-use building proposed along Bee Lane, as well as the addition to the hotel.  The garage is 5 levels, but parking levels are shorter in height.  The garage will be designed to look like a building with window openings to fit into the downtown character.

The proposed garage accommodates 200 spaces. This includes spaces for the hotel staff and guests, staff of the retail spaces, residents in the proposed multifamily building, and some public parking spaces.

Downtown Aiken is experiencing revitalization with the restoration of the hotel, new retail, and new multifamily residences. A larger parking supply is necessary to support a 75-room hotel, added restaurants, and new residential units. No individual business could feasibly build a 200+ space garage alone, which is why cities typically invest in public parking to strengthen downtown economies through increased visitors, foot traffic, and tax revenue.