Group opposed to current Project Pascalis plans becoming more visible
Jun. 26—The Do It Right Alliance is taking its campaign to change the proposed plans for Project Pascalis to the streets of Aiken.
A group of Do It Right Alliance members gathered at Vampire Penguin on Friday afternoon to support the business after owner Jeannette Moseley posted in the Do It Right Facebook group that her business faces an uncertain future.
The group also recently began selling yard signs advocating for the project to be stopped.
Project Pascalis is the name for a proposed plan to redevelop the block surrounded by Laurens Street, Richland Avenue, Newberry Street and Park Avenue.
The proposed plan calls for the demolition of the former Hotel Aiken and buildings next to it on Laurens Street and their replacement by a 100-room hotel.
Vampire Penguin is located in one of the buildings next to the hotel that would be knocked down.
Several buildings at the corner of Newberry Street and Richland Avenue would be demolished and replaced by an apartment complex and a parking garage. The former city municipal building would be expanded into a conference center.
The Do It Right Alliance is a group of local citizens who disagree with the city's current plans.
Organizer Luis Rinaldini has previously said the Do It Right Alliance plans on taking legal action against the city, as the group believes the city has violated S.C. state law and its own ordinances.
Moseley said there wasn't anything wrong with the three buildings next to the hotel.
"We operate three successful businesses out of them, yet they want to tear them down as well," she said. "Y'all, I love my store. I don't want to move. There is no reason for us to move. And honestly, there is nowhere downtown for us to go."
She said the proposed new development wouldn't be an option for Vampire Penguin because the rent would be too expensive.
Moseley declined to comment on future locations when reached Friday afternoon. She said her lawyer advised her not to comment.
Moseley also accused the city of not being honest about the condition of the hotel and of trying to force Vampire Penguin and other small businesses out of downtown.
She added she would update her followers in the coming weeks about what was really happening.
The alliance's latest effort is the design, purchase, sale and installation of 140 signs advocating for stopping the project.
Lisa Smith has been organizing the sign effort for the alliance.
She said she started working on Project Pascalis when she and her husband were downtown and saw signs on some of the buildings that would be torn down if the project moves forward.
Smith said she went straight to city hall and received more information about the project from Aiken Economic Development Director Tim O'Briant.
"Tim was really polite," Smith continued. "He said he had a meeting to go to, and I can't talk to you right now. But then he did. He sat down with us for 20 or 25 minutes, and he explained the project and some of the background about the project."
Smith criticized the city's process regarding the project and said she thought the city was going to make a bad decision because of the bad process. She said the city should break the project into smaller pieces.
She said she attended the first meeting of the Do It Right Alliance and volunteered to work on the signs.
"Lucy [Knowles] said we need yard signs, and I said I'll do that for you," Smith said.
She then created a design and worked with a local print shop to critique the designs.
Smith said she ordered 60 signs but they have all sold out. She said 80 more have been ordered. Smith added that Ulla Ringle paid the upfront money for the signs. The alliance plans to pay Ringle back when they sell the signs, she said.
The signs are $10 and can be ordered by messaging the Do It Right Facebook group.
Aiken Standard reporter Bill Bengtson also contributed to this story.
