Monday, May. 04, 2009

Bank’s plan draws critics

Proposed BB&T branch at old Hiller Hardware site in Five Points is opposed

Opposition is lining up to a suburban-style bank branch planned for the Hiller Hardware site in Five Points.

The one-story, stand-alone BB&T bank on Blossom Street, which would include a drive-through, is drawing fire because it doesn’t have the mix of stores, offices and living space called for in design guidelines and zoning adopted last year.

It also would be the fourth bank built on or planned for the two-block stretch of Blossom Street from Saluda Avenue to Harden Street, prompting locals to joke about “bank crawls” and “bank hopping.”

“We need another bank like we need another bar,” said merchant Debbie McDaniel, who owns the Revente and Sid & Nancy clothing shops on Saluda.

The project faces the city’s design review board Tuesday.

Efforts to reach a BB&T spokesman were unsuccessful. The bank, which would lease the land, has said it does not comment on pending projects.

The Hiller project is the second new development to face criticism since a $35 million streetscaping project completed two years ago upped property values in the funky urban village near USC.

Opposition from neighbors and a flip-flop by City Council killed the proposed six-story Five Points South residential, parking and retail building, planned for the Kenny’s Auto site on Blossom Street, a block away from Hiller.

A scaled-back Kenny’s project — which also includes a bank with a drive-through as well as a Walgreens “big box” drugstore — is in limbo because of opposition from neighbors.

The Walgreens store faces a hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals on May 11 because the store exceeds the square footage allowed by the new zoning.

The Future Five master plan and associated zoning and design guidelines adopted last year encourage buildings of two to four stories with a mix of retail, office and homes.

Its stated goal is to promote 24-hour activity in the area and encourage locally owned retail stores, rather than “big box” retailers or more bars.

The plan encourages construction of buildings close to streets with parking hidden behind. Its design guidelines call for buildings’ architecture to capture the village’s character.

The Five Points Association of merchants is expected to meet with BB&T officials today, prior to the Design Development Review Commission meeting.

“We want to work with these guys and have them understand our vision of Five Points,” said Dennis Hiltner, owner of the Gourmet Shop and an association board member. “You can’t control who comes into Five Points, but you just try to give them the vision.”

The association has yet to take a position on the project.

“We’re not trying to lock horns with every developer that comes down here,” Richard Burts said. “We just want to make the very best use of every piece of dirt we’ve got to make the fabric of Five Points stronger.”

Reach Wilkinson at (803) 771-8495.

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