Can area projects revive Heritage Square shopping plaza?

Parking is not a problem at SK Fashion & Beauty Supply in Summerville.

The shop, owned by Myong Kim, is one of only two businesses still operating at the Heritage Square shopping center, and is the only business in the decaying L-shaped remains of what was once a grand shopping plaza at U.S. Highway 78 and the Berlin G. Myers Parkway.

The other Heritage Square business, China Palace restaurant, is in a separate building near Highway 78.

Kim can smile while saying there's plenty of parking to be found in the asphalt desert at the once-thriving commercial site. But he'd rather be able to say there are plenty of other shops around him engaged in healthy commerce.

EDWARD C. FENNELL
The Post and Courier

The image seen in the glass reflects the rows of long-closed businesses at Heritage Square shopping center in Summerville. Only one shop remains open in the 14-acre, L-shaped shopping center, and another business is open in a nearby separate building.

"Business right now is so-so," said Kim, whose shop opened here 11 years ago, when he shared the shopping center with Revco drugs, Pic-N-Pay shoes, a large grocery store, a nightclub and more.

"There's only China Palace and me left," he added.

Although many times in recent years it appeared something good was about to happen for Heritage Square, the potential did not become reality, confides Charleston developer

Jack V. Owens. Owens founded the Southeastern Realty Group, Inc., and with partners purchased the all-but-vacant commercial site three years ago.

Once again, there's hope for Heritage Square, and plans for projects near the 14-acre site could be a catalyst for the complete rebuilding that Owens envisions.

"Our original idea was to renovate the shopping center, but what we think the community of Summerville needs is quality architecture and quality tenants," Owens said. "Our master plan is to hopefully tear this down and replace it with all new."

Among possible or planned projects that could benefit Heritage Square are an extension of the parkway, widening of Highway 78, and a $50 million to $60 million commercial Summerville Town Center development planned for a 57-acre tract across Highway 78 from Heritage Square.

New businesses are open or going up near Heritage Square.

Owens said the biggest hindrance to doing commerce at the shopping center is the lack of a left-turn curb cut on the parkway.

EDWARD C. FENNELL
The Post and Courier

Myong Kim, owner of SK Fashion & Beauty Supply at Heritage Square, has the shopping center pretty much to himself.

He has long sought one, he said, but highway officials have been reluctant to do anything that might slow traffic headed toward Old Trolley Road.

But with the Town Center development on its way, some changes are expected to be made to the roads and intersection that Heritage Square and Town Center will share, Owens said.

Heritage Square has been mostly vacant for more than a decade. Even with a Kmart anchor store, Owens said, the center could not overcome the lack of a curb cut from the parkway.

There are many reasons to be optimistic about Heritage Square, Owens said. He said some 42,000 vehicles pass it on the parkway each day, compared with 44,000 that pass Target and Wal-Mart daily on Main Street. The traffic count for Heritage Square is expected to grow as development takes place around it.

"I'd like to think there will be 50,000 at that corner," he said.

Owens said his partnership recently bought an apartment complex behind their shopping center, and potentially could demolish the buildings to make way for improved access, if necessary, to Heritage Square.

Town Center developers Thomas Calcote and Steve Varn said their project would be built in phases. By 2013, it could offer 500,000 square feet to upscale retailers, plus a mixture of office space and limited residential space in condos on upper floors of some commercial buildings.

The Town Center project envisions open spaces and hiking and biking trails along Highway 78 and the parkway. The trails would join the existing Sawmill Branch Trail.

Town Center developers are hoping Summerville will help pay for the trails and other amenities, using impact fees paid by the developers. But town officials say the developers should look into federal grants.

Town officials who have envisioned pedestrian trails to connect Sawmill Branch to Main Street via Highway 78 can see how the Town Center proposal makes this the right time to advance the idea. Town Council members have suggested a special taxing district along Highway 78 to finance sidewalks and trails.

Owens said the development of Town Center would be an impetus for Heritage Square. "Anything they do there is a plus," he said.

Several firms have been looking into locating at a reconstituted Heritage Square, he insisted.

"We are very optimistic we are headed in the right direction," Owens said.

Neither Owens nor developers for Town Center would name potential anchor stores they hope to secure for their projects, but all insist they want only upscale retailers.

Owens said that although Heritage Square and Town Center may be "chasing the same tenants, for all we know," there are "enough out there that we would both thrive."