St. Andrews area targeted for commercial revival

Part of St. Andrews Road is headed for a facelift amid concern that one of Lexington County’s oldest commercial areas is showing its age.

The first steps are being taken to develop a makeover plan to prevent what county officials, residents and businesses leaders worry is the onset of blight.

“We’re beginning to have some pretty serious problems,” County Councilman Johnny Jeffcoat of Irmo said. “This will give us a road map to reverse the trend.”

The focus is on signs of declining economic health on a three-mile stretch of the road between I-26 and Irmo along with a few side streets such as Bush River Road.

Many of the two dozen strip shopping centers feature empty shops with for-rent signs, delinquent tax sale notices are posted on a handful of empty stores and overgrown landscape, graffiti and litter are noticeable at a few closed fast-food restaurants.

“Sections of it need help, need some extra assistance,” said Jeremiah Davis, vice chair of the Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce.

While local outlets of major national retailers have left the area, key social and economic anchors remain:

▪ Irmo High and Ben Lippen’s St. Andrews Road campus along with other elementary and middle schools;

▪ The south edge of Saluda Shoals Park;

▪ Shaw Industries carpet plant;

▪ A county library branch and Irmo Fire District headquarters;

▪ A dozen major churches and several popular restaurants.

The area’s struggle began after the opening of the regional retail center at Harbison a few miles north two decades ago, official say.

Today it’s in danger of becoming known mostly as a cut-through to Harbison’s backdoor and a pit stop on the commute to and from work for the 9,300 motorists that state traffic counts say travel St. Andrews road daily, community leaders say.

Some neighborhood leaders say the attention is overdue.

“We need to make the area more attractive again,” said John Holladay, a leader of the homeowner association for the Garden Dale and Grenadier neighborhoods. “Things have kind of been forgotten.”

Steps like landscaping, building facade improvement aid and signs promoting the area could help make the area a hub to stop, shop and socialize again, community leaders say.

Business leaders are happy that their push to develop a strategy to deal with the situation has been heard.

“The area needs some updates that make it a place to come,” chamber president Kerry Powers said.

Coming up with a new image for the area is important, developer Stewart Mungo said.

“You need to give it an identity,” said Mungo, whose family built several neighborhoods in St. Andrews. “Branding is a really crucial part of keeping a good community.”

One idea under discussion is to promote the area as the front door for recreation on the lower Saluda River flowing on its south edge.

But doing that may require expanding what’s now limited public access to the river for fishing, boating, wading, picnics and other activities.

A foundation affiliated with Mungo’s company is joining county officials in paying for a $20,000 redevelopment plan whose suggestions are expected next spring.

“That area is not in bad shape, but we need to reach it before it hits the tipping point,” Mungo said.

The push for the plan follows a year-old crackdown by county officials on unkempt yards and poorly maintained homes, a step urged by several neighborhood leaders.

Developing a suburban renewal plan is vital to assuring continued vitality for the area, County Councilman Phil Yarborough of Irmo said.

“If we don’t pay attention to this challenge, we’re going to lose this area,” he said.

This story was originally published October 3, 2016 at 7:38 PM with the headline "St. Andrews area targeted for commercial revival."