Clemson is accepting bids for a large-scale redevelopment of the space at College Avenue and Tiger Boulevard. The mixed-use development will add new retail, office and housing buildings, including up to 1,800 beds of student housing.
This would include bringing the creek underneath the post office to the surface, creating new plazas, open areas and expanding Abernathy Park back in from the lakefront creating a destination center for the whole community. The project includes a renovation of the street network through this area, creating smaller blocks and more connectivity.
It also intends to give priority to non-student residential development to create a wider variety of living spaces near the University.
“The Council has been working to identify, create, and implement an even more effective approach to planning for areas larger than a single parcel,” said City of Clemson Mayor Robert Halfacre. “In doing so, the goal is not to create more zoning, but is to create an innovative planning process for large and distinct areas of the city.”
This is the culmination of two years of work by ClemsonNEXT, a program created to develop and implement a strategic plan to accommodate the rapid growth Clemson has seen in recent years.
Part of the plan, UptownNEXT, describes plans for the intersection between Clemson Avenue and Tiger Boulevard to make the area dense with amenities and housing for the community.
The City hopes to extend the downtown area into Tiger Boulevard and the lakefront to increase walkability.
The request for proposals is just the first step in the long process to bring the plan into reality as they determine how much of the plan is feasible, according to the City. Developers must submit their proposals by Oct. 14.
A rough sketch of what the city's vision for Uptown could look like, included in the RFP.
