(An update to Development Road, which reviewed the various agreements between the City of Aiken and large landowners in the area between Powderhouse Road and Whiskey Road, and the associated potential for growth. This update focuses on the more definitive plans that have emerged since that time).

by Don Moniak
June 11, 2025
(Updated July 7, 2025, based on June 2025 City of Aiken Engineering and Utilities Development Report, pages 433-434 of City Council agenda packet.

Update, August 22, 2025: According to meeting minutes of City Council’s August 11, 2025 work session, the proposed subdivision adjacent to Thoroughbred Run (Summerall-Ware tract, #9 on the map) has been withdrawn by the developer due to “stormwater matters.” )

A groundbreaking ceremony for the long-planned Whiskey Road to Powderhouse Road Connector Project (Figure 1) was held in late February 2025. Phase 1, a new 1.0 mile road connecting Whiskey Road to Corporate Parkway and Centennial Avenue, will be completed first; there remain some right of ways to procure for the 1.7 mile Phase II. (1)

In addition to the long-stated goal of traffic congestion relief, the Connector roads will also facilitate the development of approximately 1,500 to 1,700 new housing units (2) across ~325 acres, and 24 acres of commercial development; including a 160-room, four-story hotel. All of these parcels either have been, or will be, annexed into the City of Aiken (Figure 2).

(For a point of comparison, Trolley Run Station northwest of Aiken presently has about 1,100 residences.)

Approved, Proposed, and Pending Developments to Date

The Hampton Inn

The 160-room, four-story Hampton Inn hotel is currently under construction on what will be the far west end of the Connector Road.

The 8.0-acre parcel, of which three acres is dedicated to the hotel, was annexed in October 2022. City Council then approved a concept plan for the hotel in April 2023 (pages 105-125). Although accessible from Whiskey Road, one driveway for the Hotel will be via the Connector Road; whose future presence substantially influenced the location.

Summerall Place: The Watson Tract

Annexation of 125.35 acres of forested land formerly known as the Watson Tract and soon to be known as Summerall Place was approved by Aiken City Council in February 2024. This was divided into 16 acres for commercial use and 109 acres for residential use.

At the same time, Council approved the Planned Commercial Concept Plan for the 16 acres of commercial space, and the Planned Residential Concept Plan for Phase One of the residential portion—which is perhaps the most thorough, thoughtful, and extensive housing plans to be submitted in recent years (pages 70-216). For example, the developer expressed its intention to leave any lands with slopes greater than 15% untouched, stating that these conditions are too costly, in both financial and environmental terms, to develop.

Phase One is for 124 single family homes, while the subsequent phases involve 350 apartment units and 103 townhomes, producing a total of 577 new housing units.

Summerall Place: The Ware Tract

In January 2025, a proposal known as Thoroughbred Landing, located on what is now referred to as the Ware tract and involving 480 housing units (221 townhomes 259 single-family homes), was brought before the Planning Commission. The Commission voted unanimously to recommend that City Council deny approving the development . The developer then opted out of the project.(3)

This month, the Summerall Place developer, CSRA Development Company, had an application (pages 58-134) before the Planning Commission to extend its planned residential community from the Watson tract onto the Ware tract. Instead of 480 housing units, CSRA proposes 330. The Commission unanimously approved the annexation and concept plan on June 10th. City Council gave its first round of approval on June 23rd.

Across the Watson and Ware tracts, CSRA Development is proposing to leave 81 of its total 220 acres in various renditions of open space—including small parks, amenity areas, and greenspace on steeper slopes. The development will also benefit from the City’s investment in a park surrounding its new detention pond.

Clifton Place

Clifton Place will be situated on 37 acres of forest and farmland southeast of the Summerall Place development. The property was annexed in October 2024, but no concept plan has been submitted. The annexation request included a reference to 300 new residents, indicating 75-100 new home units. However, the June 2025 Engineering and Utilities Development report (4) shows a 161-unit townhomes development in the review process at the Planning Department. It has yet to be submitted to the Planning Commission.

The Fry/McLean Property

The Fry/McLean Parcel, located on 72 acres of farmland, has yet to be annexed and no concept plans have been made public. The owners’ sewer access agreement with the City of Aiken allows for up to 600 housing units.

According to the June 2025 Engineering and Utilities Development Report (4), a 461-unit “mixed” development is in the “concept” stage and a medical/residential center of 90 Senior Living units and 35 Memory Care units is in the “pre-concept stage.”

Totals

The collective, tentative total for the area is now estimated at 1500-1700 housing units. The mix of housing types will be unknown until the 451 housing unit types in the Fry/McLean property plans are revealed. Outside of those 451 units, 291 single-family homes, 327 townhomes, and 475 apartments (including 125 senior living and memory care units) are in various stages of planning and review.

Congestion Relief or More Customers for Whiskey Road Businesses?

While Powderhouse Connector will provide some congestion relief for the Whiskey Road corridor, developing subdivisions for upwards of 1,500 to 1,700 new housing units will, quite obviously, simultaneously increase traffic and congestion on the busiest section of the Whiskey Road commercial strip. This section is expected to grow busier as the new Aiken Towne Center gradually is finalized on the former Aiken Mall site.

An April 2023 email (Figure 3) between former Economic Development Director Tim O’Briant and National Retail Strategies representative Matt Jaeger illustrates this reality. In it, O’Briant asked for data regarding the attraction of the redeveloping former Aiken Mall area to future renters and home owners occupying the probable Powderhouse Connector residential developments.

The question made good sense, as the only nearby grocery option north of the Connector on East Pine Log Road are dollar stores. As for other retail and dining options, Whiskey Road will remain a center of commerce for the foreseeable future. The developments along the Connector are, quite simply, viewed as an economic stimulus for the Whiskey Road area.

Footnotes:

(1) According to a memorandum from the Augusta Regional Transportation Study’s (ARTS) South Carolina Policy Subcommittee, the current project costs are $38 million. The memo states the intent of the project is to “provide relief to the congested Whiskey Road corridor by opening additional routes to East Pine Log Road and Centennial Parkway.” 

A City of Aiken memorandum released in September 2023 states that funding for purchasing road right of ways is derived from Capital Project Sales Tax revenues which are allocated for “Whiskey Road Corridor improvements and congestions relief.” (Aiken City Council Agenda Packet for September 11, 2023, page 412). 

The tens of millions of dollars to be spent on Whiskey Road congestion relief will also provide access through nearly 400 acres of undeveloped farm and forest land in unincorporated Aiken County; where upwards of and to those eventual, multiple residential developments. Any developments in unincorporated areas which utilize city water and sewer services will eventually be annexed into the City of Aiken. 

In addition, the City of Aiken intends to subsidize development by constructing and maintaining two major stormwater retention or detention reservoirs, and installing essential sewer and water infrastructure to insure adequate capacity for planned residential neighborhoods. 

(2) These figures do not include the nearly completed 125-home subdivision known as “The Sanctuary” along Powderhouse Road, across from and east of the future “Clifton Place.”

(3) The Thoroughbred Landing development faced an uphill battle, with the City’s Planning Commission taking the unusual step at its January 14, 2024 meeting of unanimously recommending that City Council deny the application (2:37 to 3:30 of meeting).

During the contentious meeting, Chairman Ryan Reynolds informed the developer that “there is more work to be done here.” That was before area residents came forward to raise concerns about the original plan to build 259 single family homes and 221 townhomes, raising concerns about heavy traffic impacts, stormwater runoff, and effects on the quality of life of nearby residents.

The developer withdrew from the project rather than submit it to City Council. As a result of the Planning Commission’s actions, a less dense and less intrusive proposal to extend the Summerall development was forthcoming.

(4) The June 2025 Engineering and Utilities Development Report (click to enlarge)