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Columbia residents share concerns over possible apartment complex

Elmwood and Earlewood residents are speaking out over a potential new apartment complex in Columbia.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A community in Columbia could be seeing a new apartment complex in their area. Howard Hunt is the owner of multiple properties at the corner of River Drive and Benton Street. 

Hunt sold his property to a property management company, Woda Cooper Companies Inc. The company is based out of Ohio. 

"It's going to bring in, let's say for easy math, 100 people into that area," Hunt said. "It's under contract with this company and they're being very proactive with the neighborhood associations because I know how important it is to get things done in this area of Colombia is to have the back end of the neighborhood associations."

The "Benton Crossing" complex is expected to house 56 residents, with 12 one-bedroom units, 28 two-bedroom units, and 16 three-bedroom units. The four-story complex will also include 72 parking spaces (32 of which will be inside a parking garage), bicycle parking stand with 17 spaces. 

Hunt told News19 that this project is going to be made for working-class individuals. Some residents in the Elmwood and Earlewood communities have said this is a great development for the area.

"I do think increased housing is always a good thing," said Kate Blaton, a Norma Flat resident. "When I was looking for my own apartment living arrangements, this community was something that I was interested in, there's a lot of houses in this community, there is a lack of dedicated apartment buildings."

Blanton said some other residents are against this project. 

"It's not so much that the residents and neighbors of this community are against the project itself," Blanton said. "It's the location of the project and the increased traffic for that particular corner."

Sarah Pettus is a resident who lives on Benton St. She said this apartment complex will bring more traffic to an already small crowded area. 

"The street is really small and we don't need more traffic on it at all," Pettus said. "This is a pretty quiet street and so that's just really nice and we kind of keep to ourselves. I think the plan was to have an entrance on this street, and that would just cause more traffic at the end of the street leading on to River Drive."

Woda Cooper Companies Inc. conducted a traffic survey and said the addition of the Benton Crossing apartment will not largely impact commuters and classifies it as low-generated. 

"The developer indicated that they conducted a traffic study that indicated that approximately 40 cars would be added to the traffic pattern and the peak rush hour morning traffic," Blanton said. "I think anyone who travels that stretch of River Dr. right where it meets Main Street in the morning can attest that an additional 40 cars does make a big deal."

The company said the start of construction is over a year away and they are still waiting for approval from the city and tax credit. On Tuesday, the company held a public meeting for the community. 

In a statement from the buyer and developer, they said: 

"The Zoom meeting was constructive last night.  John Wilkinson did a good job at managing the process and essentially filtered the questions through to us as the meeting was well attended.  Parker is correct in saying that you could feel some residents were against the development no matter what.  Just pleased with a status quo.  There were no comments on how $15 million in new development can contribute to the well-being of the neighborhood.  There was one comment that there were no groceries nearby...but you need rooftops to attract commercial development.  The location of our property along River Street is more commercial than residential, hence our mid-density property is ideal to bridge the single-family home neighborhoods with commercial corridors."

News19 reached out to Councilman Sam Davis and the neighborhood association for comment on the project but did not hear back. 

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