As Red Bank continues to grow, what’s been added and what’s coming next?

Red Bank seemingly can’t stop growing, whether it’s new residents or new businesses.

“I remember when nothing was here,” 27-year-old native Brock Lynch said. “Every time you drive by, it’s a little bit bigger than it was last time.”

Census data shows that Red Bank’s population has grown to over 11,000 residents from just under 6,000 in 1990. In January, the Lexington County Council approved plans for the Serenity Lake Subdivision, which will add 400 new single-family homes. Between South Congaree and White Knoll along Edmund Highway, 624 new homes are being planned as well.

In 2024, a new $55 million school, South Lake Elementary, opened to serve the area’s growing population. Lori McCorkle, who relocated to Red Bank from Irmo last year, said she prefers her new home.

“Irmo is big,” McCorkle said. “I like that out here, it’s growing.”

As people have moved in, businesses have followed.

A brand-new Lowes Foods opened on Nov. 6 in the $65 million Platt Springs Crossing development, along with a variety of retail locations such as Panda Express, Whataburger, Chipotle, a dental office and Big Blue Marble Academy, an early childhood center.

The complex is also planned to include 142 townhomes, Tropical Smoothie, Venus Nails, Longhorn Steakhouse and a Planet Fitness.

Platt Springs Crossing adds to an already wide assortment of popular nearby grocery, fast food and retail options, such as a Publix, Food Lion, Walmart Supercenter, Waffle House, Chick-fil-A and Anytime Fitness among several others.

Increased business activity has also led to increased traffic, with Department of Transportation statistics showing a 4,000-car jump in daily traffic from 27,000 to 31,000 driving down S. Lake Drive.

Lisa Marquez, who moved to South Carolina 22 years ago, said she enjoys the added convenience of nearby retailers, but misses some of the area’s more rural aspects.

“We had to go to downtown Lexington for everything,” Marquez said. “I like the growth, but I don’t like the growth. … I’m one of those people that likes land, but the growth is good.”

Military veteran James Galluzzo said he was drawn to the area by its quiet nature, which he said has still been maintained despite the rapid growth.

Galluzzo said as migration to South Carolina as a whole increases, Red Bank’s growth will only ramp up alongside it and that local officials need to ensure it’s managed thoughtfully and responsibly.

“South Carolina is the fastest growing state in the nation right now, and all this infrastructure and everything coming into the state is just going to keep exploding,” Galluzzo said. “You can put you head in the sand and pretend it’s not happening, or you can be proactive about it.”

Lynch, who’s lived in Red Bank his whole life and witnessed the changes in real-time, said the difference between past and current local offerings was stark, and while Lexington is still there for extra amenities, he no longer feels he has to leave Red Bank for any essentials.

“We got a hardware store, we have grocery stores, it’s kind of, you come in this area and get pretty much what you need,” Lynch said. “I can’t really think of anything that would make life more convenient.”