Man who wants more space decides on a 2,000-square-foot basement
By ROB NOVIT Senior writer
Home basements are a comparative novelty in the deep South, but Ben Price, an Aiken resident for the past four years, hopes to change that.
A sales representative for Superior Walls by Weaver Precast of SC, Price is using his company's own product and process for a 2,000-square-foot basement in the new home he is building in the Kings Ridge development off Glenwood Road near Aiken.
The residence will have a total of 6,200 square feet of living and storage space. During the installation Monday, Price said the walls come pre-studded and pre-insulated and don't require waterproofing.
He and his wife have four children and wanted to take advantage of all the space they could get.
"In running the numbers," he said, "the least expensive option was going down as far as we could in creating a basement. It's eight feet and we would have gone six feet for the crawl space. For a little more money, we're able to utilize space underneath the home."
Aiken-based True South Communities is the Kings Ridge developer. An associate, Jim Vivian, said the company and the Aiken Homebuilders Association share common interests and are taking a close look at the project.
"We have lots in the development that are conducive to basements," said Vivian. "This process is somewhat innovative for basement construction, and a lot of buyers are from other parts of the country where they have basements. We thought it was good for us to be a part of this endeavor today."
Price plans to use some of the basement area for storage so he can actually use the garage for its intended purpose. But he'll still have plenty of room for an extra bedroom and bathroom, as well as a dedicated media room and a pool table. The basement will be accessible from the outside and from at least one staircase.
The basement will fit in with green-building, Price said, as it makes sense from a cost and environmental standpoint. He agreed with Vivian that shifting demographics could create a demand for basements.
"You can call an outfit like Superior Walls and when you leave, you've got a basement," Price said. "The order takes about two weeks and after delivery it can be installed in a day."
Vivian called the project a win-win for everybody, "like playing in a sandbox," he said. "All of us are learning the elements of this construction design. It's like a day at the university."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
Aiken named one of 12 Distinctive Destinations
By APRIL BAILEY Staff writer
With its balance of cosmopolitan flair and 19th century heritage, Aiken has all of the necessary ingredients for a great vacation, according to representatives with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Because of Aiken's heritage tourism appeal, the city has just been named one of the National Trust's Dozen Distinctive Destinations.
As with the name, Aiken is one of only 12 communities in the nation to receive the honor from the National Trust, which is a nonprofit organization founded in 1949. The organization works to save historic areas and revitalize communities.
The National Trust has been selecting 12 communities that work to preserve their town's character each year since 2000.
Along with Aiken, Beaufort is the only other city in South Carolina to receive the honor, which was awarded to the city in 2001.
For the 2008 Distinctive Destination awards, Aiken was among 60 cities across the country from which the National Trust received nominations.
"It's a pretty big nod to say this is a place worth coming to visit," said Carla Cloud, executive director of the Aiken Downtown Development Association. "With the history, the beautiful parkways and gardens, quaint shops and art galleries added to the recreational venues, you can understand why 'unique' is the word most visitors use when describing our charming city."
Calling the award a "huge honor," Cloud said she worked with Coleen Reed, who was recently appointed as a board member to the Aiken Historic Foundation, to submit the application for the award.
"She was very instrumental with us receiving this award," said Cloud.
To be chosen as a "Distinctive Destination," the communities selected had to offer both a dynamic and authentic visitor experience, include a heritage tourism infrastructure, offer interesting architectural and cultural landscapes, provide a model for other towns and cities to preserve their own histories and share the National Trust's commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization.
In the application, Cloud and Reed described many of Aiken's landmark's as well as the some of the City's historic architecture and some of the programs and projects that the City maintains in its efforts to preserve history. The two also listed historic attractions such as the Willcox Inn, Hopelands Gardens, and Banksia and gave a brief history of the location.
Cloud said there will be an official news conference this afternoon that will include local and state representatives during which she plans to announce the award to the public.
The news conference will be held in the Alley on the patio of the Aiken Municipal Building at 2:30 p.m.
She said next month's Downtown After Six event on March 27 will be held in celebration of the award and plans to create limited edition post cards for the City that display the "Distinctive Destination" logo to be sold in downtown shops.
"Aiken has long been a visitor's paradise," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "The past and present merge seamlessly to offer all the necessary ingredients for a great vacation."
Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com
Aiken & Edgefield Counties, South Carolina
With the combination of work force, transportation amenities, and ready-to-go sites, Aiken/Edgefield wins the "Triple Crown."
By John L. Tobiah
History, tradition, and rich southern charm make Aiken & Edgefield Counties in South Carolina extremely alluring. Framed by Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA, this graceful community has been a racehorse- training site and playground for the wealthy since the late 1800s. But when it comes to providing the right location for corporate success, the area exchanges its genteel ways for a direct, determined approach.
As a result of this decidedly pro-business attitude, Aiken/Edgefield has ranked among the top three small markets in the South for five of the last ten years, according to Southern Business & Development magazine. Amid intense competition, Aiken/Edgefield has earned this distinction for its proven record of drawing new companies along with continued investment from its existing industry base.
The combination of a well-trained work force, low construction costs, outstanding tax incentives, a solid transportation infrastructure and a great quality of life have made Aiken/Edgefield the frontrunner in so many corporate decisions. Together, the two counties are home to a diverse industry mix. Local Fortune 500 companies include Kimberly Clark Corporation, Carlisle Tire & Wheel, Automatic Switch Company (Emerson Electric), and Pepperidge Farm Corporation (Campbells Soup Company), and United Defense LP (FMC).
A strong global presence has also emerged in the area. Many companies with international parents, such as Bridgestone/Firestone South Carolina (Japan), GlaxoSmithKline (United Kingdom), SKF USA (Sweden), UCB Chemicals (Belgium) and Rieter (Switzerland) call the community home as well.
Believing that the strength of a community lies within its existing industry base, Aiken/Edgefield is committed to providing "service after the sale" to all of its companies. "There are no more important companies than the ones that already call our community their home," explains Fred Humes, director of the Aiken-Edgefield Economic Development Partnership "Over two-thirds of new capital investment and job creation originates from expanding industry, indicating a strong sense of satisfaction from our existing companies."
Newcomers and companies that have been in Aiken/Edgefield for decades attest to the exceptional productivity of local workers in relation to other areas of the U.S. With an area-wide population of 500,000 (in the Aiken,SC -Augusta, GA MSA), Aiken/Edgefield offers a work force of 73,000. Another 250,000 workers are within a 45-minute drive.
Aiken/Edgefield also boasts a particularly large number of highly skilled, educated workers for a community its size. The presence of the Savannah River Site, which has been charged with developing technology for the U.S. government since 1950, provides a constant flow of technology-oriented individuals.
In addition to the large, technically skilled work force, most plant managers cite the community's concentrated transportation grid as a primary reason for locating in Aiken/Edgefield. More than two-thirds of the U.S. population is within a one-day drive of the area. And, this South Carolina location sits directly on Interstate 20, making it particularly ideal for companies that serve the growing Southern Automotive Corridor.
With its tradition of excellence, Aiken/Edgefield is also preparing for 21st Century growth sectors. For example, an initiative at the nearby Savannah River Site involves applied research with medical isotopes. The opportunity for commercialization of this burgeoning technology opens superb opportunities for nuclear medicine companies, pharmaceutical firms, cryogenics companies and similar endeavors. In addition, the Savannah River Site is home to the world's leading experts on hydrogen-powered fuel cells, a technology that also has strong future-potential.
Clearly, Aiken/Edgefield is leveraging its brainpower and its technology to drive its future. In addition, area leaders are actively developing sites to house the diverse and growing industry base. In Aiken County, Sage Mill Center for Advanced Technology offers a perfect location for companies using robotics or other sophisticated manufacturing processes. Edgefield County is home to the area's newest industrial park, an ideal site for most types of manufacturing
In the end, it's the combination of work force, transportation options, and industrial sites that put Aiken/Edgefield in a "photo finish" for so many deals. However, quality of life is where the community makes one of its strongest showings. If your company is looking for the opportunity to be close to two major metros, but out of the busy lifestyle; to have all of the big city amenities, but at a quieter pace, look no further than Aiken/Edgefield, South Carolina.
For more information on Aiken & Edgefield Counties, visit www.edpsc.org