At a workshop session this week, Irmo Town Council reckoned with pushback it has received on a proposed development to bring a downtown to the municipality that lacks a true city center.

“We got the feedback from the community,” Mayor Barry Walker said Jan. 10 of the responses council heard during a Jan. 8 information session about the project, which would install a “Main Street” for Irmo along what is now a dirt road in a predominantly Black area. “We have to make a decision if we're going to continue to go forward with purchasing the property.”

At the community Q&A, Walker said the town has purchased one of 12 parcels it has targeted for the project. In December, council approved the purchase of 1.82 acres of land for the project and voted to hire an acquisition firm that could potentially help it acquire more land.

“At the meeting, I heard, ‘We don’t want this here,’” the mayor said this week.

Council Member Erik Sickinger said residents and stakeholders attending the information session were rightfully angry, adding that his heart was breaking for them.

“I think that feedback was really valuable to understand the emotion and the connection behind that land, hopefully, with an opportunity to have a conversation where we can talk,” he said. 

Council was in agreement that next steps in assessing the project should be more focused on discussion with community stakeholders. No information has thus far been shared on when and where future meetings and discussions might take place.

Several of the 27 or so residents who spoke at the Jan. 8 meeting proposed using a different location near Irmo Town Park, within walking distance of Town Hall, for the project. During the workshop, Walker mentioned a strategic plan from 2016 where a proposed downtown would use College Street, Columbia Avenue and Lexington Avenue.

Council Member Bill Danielson said Jan. 8 the location wasn’t chosen by council because Irmo Town Park is too small to support the inside and outside entertainment proposed for the development.

Also mentioned by Walker at the information session was the possibility of relocating Town Hall to the proposed downtown development, moving it to what he called a more accessible location along Church Street from its current location on Woodrow Street. Dennis proposed a different location during the workshop.

According to Dennis the current town hall, located on Woodrow St., is “busting at the seams” and a new building will help address that issue. The location he proposed to give Town Hall more space was near the Irmo Police Station, which is located within Town Park.

Dennis said many employees are working in dual roles, adding that one person serves as the point man for payroll, human resources and bank conciliation. As Irmo grows, there will need to be a separation of duties, the administrator said.

Dennis shared a conceptual drawing for the proposed Town Hall, stating that this design would house everyone now and also allow for growth later on. He added that neighboring municipalities like West Columbia, Chapin and Lexington have town and city halls structured to allow for ongoing growth.

“10 years from now, you’re going to see a portable outside storing more people and files,” Dennis said. “We need to look at possibilities to expand town hall.”