By Ashley Fletcher Frampton
aframpton@scbiznews.com
Published Oct. 9, 2009

CARTA has unveiled conceptual drawings for a new train station in North Charleston that would connect Amtrak trains, local and regional bus lines, taxis, rental cars and other travel modes in one location.

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority shared them Thursday evening at a meeting seeking public comments on designs for the intermodal center by Davis & Floyd engineering.

Drawings show two four-story towers flanking a two-story building near the intersection of Montague Avenue and Dorchester Road. CARTA owns about 30 acres at that location.

Building the intermodal center would allow CARTA to move from its current offices on John Street and would let Amtrak relocate from its facilities near the intersection of Rivers and Montague avenues. Officials view the one-stop travel center as a convenience for commuters and travelers.

Train center vision

Rhett Reidenbach, vice president of Davis & Floyd, said the tower features were inspired by architecture of the former Charleston Union Station, a train station that was on East Bay Street downtown from 1907 until 1947, when it burned.

Officials would like to see a restaurant in one tower, Reidenbach said. The other will contain electrical and mechanical equipment on the ground floor, with space above for meeting rooms and offices.

Inside the 41,000-square-foot building, drawings show space for office, retail and restaurant tenants. About 3,000 square feet would be taken up by CARTA administrative offices. About 5,000 additional square feet are planned to be occupied by Amtrak offices and operations, Southeastern Stages bus line and a yet-to-be-determined car rental company, newsstand and coffee shop.

Drawings show about 12,800 square feet of retail and office space that would be available to other tenants. Reidenbach said the vision is for the entire space to be full of people and activity.

A large staircase would greet travelers as they enter the intermodal center. Behind the building would be a raised platform serving Amtrak trains.

CARTA executive director Howard Chapman said the station is expected to cost about $7.8 million.

Funding and development plans

CARTA, which is planning the center, is hoping to build it through a partnership with a private developer. In exchange for building the center, the authority could give the developer rights to build on the surrounding land.

Chapman said CARTA is working with federal lawmakers to repurpose for the train station about $5.8 million that had been set aside for a now-defunct local high-speed rail project called Futrex. That money, combined with $475,000 appropriated for the intermodal center in the 2008 federal budget, would provide an 80% federal share.

The developer’s contribution would be the required 20% local match, Chapman said.

Earlier this year, CARTA released a request for qualifications seeking development teams for the project. Two responded, Chapman said, and both have been qualified to compete through a formal bidding process in the coming months.

Those companies are The Furman Co., based in Greenville, and The Weiser Cos., based in North Charleston. Based on those companies’ qualifications and interest, Chapman said he is confident the project will move forward.

The design plans will be altered, if needed, based on public comments and will be incorporated into the request for proposals from the two developers.

Whether some or all of the 30 acres would be sold or leased to the chosen developer depends on the developer’s proposal and the benefit to CARTA, Chapman said.

“Whatever the most economically beneficial proposal is to CARTA, I’m sure that’s the one the board is going to take,” Chapman said.

Once construction starts, it would probably take about a year, Chapman said. He estimated construction plans could be finalized by July, if based on the current design.

Redevelopment potential

Patterson Smith, chairman of the CARTA board, said North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey has said he hopes the intermodal center will spur redevelopment in the blighted area surrounding the project.

“He has hopes that this will be a catalyst that will allow us to see other properties in that area have other uses. ... I share that vision with the mayor,” Smith said.

Chapman said CARTA has invested about $10 million on the project already. That includes the purchase of the land as well as design, engineering and environmental work.

About 50 people attended the meeting Thursday.

“We are so proud of this facility,” said Gayle Frampton, chairwoman of the Citizens Advisory Council for the city of North Charleston, who spoke at the meeting “We’ve waited for years.”

Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.