Resist The Renaissance

Amazing difference of opinion! Citizens on one side and Officials on the other.

Those on the City Council are more than happy to spend taxpayer's meager incomes for their pet projects. What perplexes the honest Aiken residents is that the tax and spend pirates think that they can turn Aiken into a showplace.. There are literally hundreds of more attractive towns in S.C. What the intelligent citizens want are their residences to be safe, attractive with reasonable taxes. Aiken is almost there with some fine tuning instead of applying money wasting and useless gingerbread. Thank you.

Please let the people of Aiken have a say in this matter

We need a referendum vote on this. Quit keeping it a secret. If it's really good folks will vote for it.

Drain the swamp

No parking garage downtown with public/private funds or agreement. First things first i.e. Infrastructure for older sections of Aiken including residential areas.

I AGREE 100% WITH THE COMMENTS ON THE PETITION. PLEASE DON'T DESTROY OUR DOWNTOWN!

This unnecessary nonsense proposed for downtown Aiken must be stopped. I'd like to know who is directly benefiting from the proposed destruction to our lovely town -- it certainly is not the citizens!

80-90 parking spaces currently taken all day by city and local business employees. Put down permeable pavers or granite filings on empty lots 2-4 blocks away and make those employees walk to work like normal people elsewhere. Do not put up the garage and destroy an historic building and successful, popular local businesses. Parking garages are ugly crime magnets. With the freed up 80-90 parking spaces per above, there is no need for a garage, unless, of course, this really is a ruse: a taxpayer funded gift to the Aiken X Hotel so they can use tax payer money for their efforts to do a deal with a national brand hotel operator. Just what IS NOT appropriate for our unique, charming downtown. There is no financial need to take an $900,000 or so loss on the sale of the Laurens Street Finance building. Everyone knows where to go, the city employees can walk a couple of blocks between it and the Municipal Building. They may even engage locals in conversations and learn a few things or pick up some new ideas. Instead, prioritize the city's needs: Modernize water and sewer; Once and for all fix drainage into Woods; Encourage creative opportunities for younger entrepreneurs downtown: A student run radio station, Code writing and app dev space New business incubator space If the above works, then let private businesses buy multi family zoned homes and convert to apts that appeal to millennials as it makes no financial sense to build the housing before the younger workers decide they want to be downtown The Aiken Hotel should remain private and not part of a national chain. Renovate and fear towards a younger age group with rooftop dining and bar and bands in weekends with shuttles between USC Aiken and Aiken Tech None of the above would entail taxpayer money except for the infrastructure work which has to done anyway as the saying goes: do not build on a foundation of sand.

As citizens we must have a say in what happens in our town. Transparency is a must in government!

The city of Aiken is a one of a kind gem of a town. Keeping it's small town charm and appeal should be the priority. Making it a carbon copy of the other failed city plans throughout SC is a mistake.

Downtown Aiken is beautiful. "Developers" are not IMO, interested in conservation of history or anything else. They are interested in money.

Get out and vote this coming Nov 7th to make your vote count.

Leave Aiken alone! Chill out on the building of unnecessary businesses especially without citizen input!

I have been an Aiken resident for several years and I absolutely LOVE the current charm and beauty of this area! It simply breaks my heart to see the last Aiken bowling alley demolished and replaced with another restaurant chain which we don’t need. We’re already overwhelmed with too many restaurants on the South side on Whiskey Road as it is already. It’s just going to add more traffic congestion plus eliminate the last family bowling alley. Now our kids won’t have any place to go and I’m concerned they might resort to the streets. It’s very unfortunate the owner of the bowling alley was bullied into selling her property due to town greed.

Please do not ruin the downtown ambience that everyone loves.

Very short-term greedy and long-term stupid.

I have lived in Aiken for almost my entire life. Even in college, I returned frequently. Within living in the already terribly boring Aiken during my young adulthood, playoffs is one of the only places for a young adult to get a drink in Aiken. You would risk many businesses and tax dollars removing this strip. This decision would be more than foolish on the city of Aiken's part. Plan for growth while keeping your heritage and small buisnesses alive. And honesty, plan for more young people, too. Demographically, this place will die if you don't appeal to the young people. Think with your brain. Thank you.

Say no to the parking garage. Downtown Aiken does NOT need one now.

Yes, Let us vote on Renaissance Project!!!!