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Anna Connelly, executive director of the Foothills Area Family YMCA, leads her staff and some 300 exhuberant citizens in a 'Y' cheer minutes after it was announced that a new YMCA facility will be the first construction in a $200 million development north of Seneca.
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Scott Vick
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Special to the Daily Journal/Messenger
SENECA — By BRETT McLAUGHLIN
brett@dailyjm.com
SENECA — A group of local investors unveiled plans Thursday night for a $200 million planned community to be developed over the next 18-20 years, on 774 acres just north of Seneca.
Keowee River will be built in phases and will include a blend of residential, retail, restaurants, commercial office space and entertainment venues, all involving the use of extensive green spaces, with a particular focus on eco-adventure tourism.
Infrastructure work is expected to begin this fall with a grand opening in spring 2010. The first construction is expected to center around a new YMCA. (See related story below.)
“We want this to be inclusive,” said Seneca builder/developer Scott Vick, speaking on behalf of the group. “It will be open to anyone who wants to be a part of it and there is no better organization to associate with, to be inclusive, than the Y.”
“We’re going to build a Y,” he said later, “but the community has to get involved. They have to have some skin in this.”
He said the development group will provide the land and has guarantee operational funds for a period time. He would not elaborate.
Vick told several hundred people gathered on the property that the new community will be completely public and ungated. It will focus on active adult lifestyles, adventure tourism and the environment.
The development plan includes affordable housing in a variety of options from single family to townhouses and villas to cottages. He outlined plans for a retirement community, complete with independent, assisted and memory care living options.
The Keowee River Center, as conceived, will include an outdoor amphitheatre, waterfront park and pavilion, canoe and kayak center, restaurant row and the Center Falls Park, which will contain a fountain, frisbee field, disc golf course, bocce, horseshoe and croquet areas and a butterfly park.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the development will be the Adventure and Tourism Center. A portion of the acreage will be set aside to house a hotel and conference center, around which the developers plan to construct an adventure center with zip lines and canopy tour, geocaching, a ropes course, an extreme mountain bike trail and rock climbing wall and bouldering area. A tree house camping village is also planned, as are suspension bridges at each end of the development, connecting its trail system with the 17,500-acre Issaqueena Forest across the river.
Asked about the timing of the venture given the current recession, Vick said developers believe that a cultural change is underway in which residents will accept less space in their own property in return for parks, squares and walking and cycling paths.
“Data would suggest our lifestyle is moving away from the exclusive country club living and moving towards sustainable, cross-generational lifestyle amenities,” he explained. “Keowee River is about creating a lifestyle that is inclusive of all generations and encourages them to play together in the great outdoors.”
He added that Oconee is in need of jobs and that Keowee River is expected to create 2,000 jobs over the development span.
“Keowee River will strengthen the tax base, create good jobs and affordable housing while protecting this wonderful quality of life we love,” he said.
Vick would not identify members of The Keowee River Preservation Group, LLC, other than to say it is a large group composed entirely of local business people. The group purchased the acreage from Crescent Resources in 2008 for $10 million.
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August 14, 2009
6:24 p.m.Report inappropriate content
While this project sounds Heavenly, what idiot or idiots would invest in something like this. Look around at all the failures in these type communities in this economy. These investors must have money to waste. While Patrick Square concept maybe a good idea, take a look at it. Not exactly setting the woods or anyones pockets on fire. The spec houses that have been built so far look cheap. Good luck on this project in this economy which is a long way from recovering.
August 14, 2009
8:35 p.m.Report inappropriate content
This project smells very fishy. I'm all for progress but this isn't going to work right now. The location isn't right. For example if lake Hartwell were drop lake levels remember theirs no water in this area. I do think the YMCA is a great idea but it needs to be more centrally located within the county. I agree with you truthandjustice the investors must have a lot of money to waste. I'm wondering with this project being so close to Newry will the investors try and buy the old mill in Newry? Hey this could put Newry on the map!
August 14, 2009
10:45 p.m.Report inappropriate content
so we see how the locals start to voice their opions
August 15, 2009
6:47 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Maybe some of you should start taking your childrren fishing and investing a little money in our state. If this comes about and is open to the entire public, maybe it will give our youth something to do. Maybe there will be a few more jobs? Maybe you people who see the glass half empty should think about it?
August 15, 2009
8:30 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I'm not even sure where to start with you people. First, there is no drug money behind this project and to say something like that shows how uninformed and ignorant you are. They are all local investors that have plenty of money mostly earned here through the development and advancment of Oconee County over many years. Keowee River's focus isn't on how many waterfront lots they get on Hartwell, but rather eco tourism, mix use commercial, and medical. As for the timing, there is no plan to roll out homes or property until the market improves: a benefit of having solid and wise investors behind the project.
If you don't see the many benefits of this project for our area then you don't know much about the market here. The pricing is set to be very reasonable and the amenities are going to be impressive. This will be a project that does well for those involved and improve the lives of the locals here providing jobs, healthy lifesyle, and activities for everybody from children to assisted living. We should support more of these visions and look at the good they provide our area.
August 16, 2009
11:38 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Keoweewaterfront,don't you have to have a job to want to live at this new development. Seems the cart is being put before horse. JP Stevens property, Patrick Square, Berkley Place, The Villages in Pendleton(really don't count them), numerous lake subdivisions, houses sitting half built or being foreclosed on. Why, no jobs. The industrial park at Hwy 11 and Hwy 123, sitting there vacant. Work with what you have, like the industrial park before starting another project that will also empty. Empty Mom & Pop stores. The YMCA is a great organization but why not build it that will be more convenient for ALL citizens. You read in the paper about the Central/Clemson Rec Center struggling all the time. Why? NO JOBS. You don't have increased membership without a job. Wake up, this has failure all over it at this point in the economy. Concentrate your efforts on getting jobs here FIRST and then proceed with caution on this project.
August 16, 2009
8:28 p.m.Report inappropriate content
The Keowee River development is suppose to offer "affordable housing". Will the developer/builder of the homes inside this development be using costly materials such as ceramic tiles, granite counter tops, hardwood flooring and other expensive items to drive up the costs? I checked out Patrick Square homes and the square footage is somewhere between 2290 square feet and 3591 square foot. Is Patrick Square "affordable" for the teacher, average store clerk, utility worker, fireman, policeman/sheriff, a retiree with little savings, etc.? I want this developer to tell me his definition of "affordable"?