A move some speculated could lead West Columbia’s oft-complained-about chicken plant to close in a burgeoning area of the city has apparently stalled.
House of Raeford, which has operated the slaughterhouse sandwiched between the Congaree River and Sunset Boulevard near the Gervais Street Bridge since 1998, had planned to open a new plant 50 miles down the road in Aiken County. And while the company told The State earlier this month that it was “much too premature to provide any comments” about what those plans could mean for the West Columbia plant, the scuttlebutt was that the new facility would replace it .
But the Aiken County plant, set to employ 900 people and be situated along Interstate 20 near U.S. 1, now has hit a hitch as plans for local tax incentives failed to move forward.
On April 16, Aiken County Council voted to not proceed with a fee in lieu of tax agreement for the plant. Late last week, Council Chair Gary Bunker said, “There have been no additional discussions between Aiken County and the House of Raeford” since that meeting.
As a result, Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said the city of Aiken would not to move forward with sewer and water infrastructure upgrades that would have been key to the chicken plant, another big blow to House of Raeford’s plans.
As it did ahead of last week’s developments, House of Raeford declined to comment on what this means for the West Columbia plant.
“As we consider our next steps, we remain committed to transparency and constructive dialogue, and hope future opportunities will allow for a more thorough evaluation of the substantial benefits we bring to all of the communities we serve,” Dave Witter, manager for corporate communications with House of Raeford, said in a statement.
The Aiken project did get a push from Gov. Henry McMaster, who sent a letter to Bunker ahead of last week’s meeting.
“As you know, this important project will create 900 jobs in Aiken County with a $200 million capital investment. It will have an estimated $1.6 billion economic impact to the region over five years and will produce 493 million pounds of poultry per year for the domestic food supply chain,” the governor wrote.
“I also understand there has been concern over limited water and sewer capacity in Aiken, and whether the limited capacity remaining should be devoted to a sole project or end user. I am committed to assist in identifying state funding to help address these water and sewer infrastructure needs, so that Aiken County may be able to accommodate both the House of Raeford and plan for future growth as well.”
But the letter didn’t seem to move the needle, as County Council declined to take action on second reading of its tax incentives ordinance.
The West Columbia plant has been there for more than 60 years and employs nearly 600 people. In addition to those jobs, it’s a big revenue generator for the city. The plant is West Columbia’s largest water customer, and it pays other taxes and fees to the city.
But it’s seen by many as an eyesore and a nuisance due to the odor it produces, which some see as curtailing development in what has become a busy dining and nightlife district. The surrounding area is home to popular spots such as Black Rooster, Terra and Savage Craft Ale Works.
“Life can go on if it’s still there,” said state Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, who serves West Columbia. “I think it makes it maybe a little bit easier for investors to see the future if they can look out and not see the chicken plant physically there. But I think the trajectory of this area is so bright, so promising, that smart investors are going to come here and develop this area, regardless of the chicken plant. It would just be like a nice benefit if it was not here.”
Caskey reasoned that the presence of the plant has an impact on potential redevelopment plans for the dilapidating Capitol Square shopping center across the street, which has no tenants following the December closure of longtime local Chinese restaurant Jin Jin .
But West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles, who noted he is “not a person who screams and shouts that the chicken plant has to move,” pushed back on the notion that future development nearby depends on the chicken plant’s closure.
“I can tell you that that shopping center has been owned by the same folks for 10, 15 years now,” he said. “I can tell you definitively that the fact that it has not been redone isn’t a result of the chicken plant. The issues that have prevented it from moving forward, I’m hopeful will be resolved soon. And that’s regardless of whether or not the chicken plant is there.”
Miles noted that the city has worked with the plant on odor issues and said he believes the smell isn’t as much a problem as it once was. And he pointed to nearby development activity such as the Brookland apartment and business development nearby on State Street and the riverfront condos next door to the plant as proof that it isn’t a drag on the area.
“Right now, there’s a three-bedroom condo that I can literally throw a rock from the chicken plant and knock a window out of, and it’s going for $700,000,” he said. “If you asked me tomorrow, if I could change one thing to spur development along (U.S. Hwy.) 378, would it be dropping interest rates 2% or would it be moving the chicken plant? It would be dropping interest rates 2%.”
That said, Miles acknowledged that something will likely have to change in the long run.
“I think eventually the chicken plant will have to move because in order to recognize some increased efficiencies, they’ll need to be able to go somewhere that’s got a little more space available for them,” the mayor said. “They’re completely built out there.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0