Monday, Feb. 02, 2009

Spotlight on Blythewood

A town for walkers, clean industry — and lacrosse

Blythewood is a small town making big plans.

“We’re doing something that most small towns never think of doing until it’s too late,” said Ed Garrison, a commercial real estate broker and town councilman.

The town that has grown from one square mile to eight in the last six years is making a master plan for retail and industrial growth.

Town leaders hope to control the growth in time for the next big boom, creating a walker-friendly town center with small specialty shops, restaurants and hotels and a corridor for clean industry along the interstate.

Industrial development has found a natural fit along I-77 near Blythewood, where several industrial parks and buildings already stand. The town’s aim is to bring in knowledge-based industries that would have little impact on the environment.

The plan’s other component is a central retail corridor with upscale boutiques and dining establishments.

“The hope would be once you parked your car then you could walk to other areas without getting back into your car,” Garrison said.

At the center of the downtown plan is a town park that would bring out residents on a regular basis and also bring in money to the town coffers.

The park would be designed to host youth sports tournaments from throughout the region.

“We want to be the premier lacrosse location in the Midlands,” said Mayor Keith Bailey, who said lacrosse is becoming “the new soccer.”

“(Tournaments) act as somewhat of a stimulus to restaurants and hotels,” Bailey said.

Planning now will improve commerce in the future, Bailey said.

But so far, the town seems to be faring OK during the economic crisis plaguing the nation, Bailey said.

He said a couple of new hotels and restaurants already are in the works.

“Businesses for the most part are doing well here in Blythewood,” he said.

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8308.

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