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Columbia City Council on Wednesday is expected to cast a final vote on a contract adding $5.8 million worth of public parking to a $20 million, six-story, retail and condo project planned for Five Points.
Although council has voted several times to approve various aspects of the 5 Points South project, Wednesday’s vote is far from certain due to intense lobbying on both sides of the issue.
Proponents, including the Five Points Association merchants group, say the parking is needed and should go into the building, which is planned for the old Kenny’s Auto site between Blossom and Devine streets at Saluda Avenue.
Opponents, among them some powerful neighborhood groups led by the Wales Garden Neighborhood Association, say the building is too tall for the mostly two-story urban village near USC.
Council more than a year ago voted unanimously to explore a parking deal with the developers. And both the planning commission and the council last year approved the building’s height.
In March, council voted 6-1 to negotiate a contract with developers Ron Swinson and Stan Harpe. The agreement calls for the city to spend $1 million on air rights and up to $4.8 million to build the 201 parking spaces on the second and third floors.
But intense lobbying by the project’s opponents have left some council members weary of the controversy and wary of the political fallout of a “yes” vote.
Anne Sinclair, who represents that area of Five Points and has pushed for more public parking, said she is almost certainly a “yes” vote “if the contract is solid.”
Kirkman Finlay will vote “no,” he said, because the city hasn’t convinced him the parking is needed at that price.
Tameika Isaac Devine and Mayor Bob Coble are leaning toward voting for the project but said they are not 100 percent sure.
Both said they want the contract to be strong, giving the city more control over the project.
E.W. Cromartie, who represents the northern or “upper” half of Five Points, said Monday he was undecided.
Daniel Rickenmann and Sam Davis could not immediately be reached for comment Monday but have voted to approve the project in the past.
The building’s first floor would include a bank and drugstore on Blossom Street and a 3,000-square-foot retail space on Devine Street. The developers plan 26 upscale condos on the top floors.
Opponents have focused on the two floors of parking because removing the city-owned spaces would lower the project to four stories, which is more acceptable to them. But both the general zoning now in Five Points and the special zoning adopted for this project allow six stories.
The developers still could build a six-story building without city participation. It could feature a surface parking lot rather than the hidden parking now planned.
In the past few weeks, city attorneys have been working to tighten the contract, taking the public’s concerns into consideration, Coble said.
Among the tweaks:The city must approvethe deed and the letter of credit, must be satisfied with environmental studies and must be assured the developers have procured financing.
“We have significant strengthening of the contract to address concerns that have been raised,” Coble said.
Reach Wilkinson at (803) 771-8495.
