When Augusta mayoral candidate Steven Kendrick announced Tuesday morning that a new development is in the works for the Regency Mall site, he had mentioned that he had been in talks for months with Cardinale Management, the owners of the property, about the project. But the announcement was news to many, including the Augusta Economic Development Authority, says treasurer and board member Wilbert “Butch” Gallop Jr.
“We had no idea of this announcement,” said Gallop. “We’re not involved in any shape, form or fashion.”
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Kendrick stated Tuesday that Cardinale Management submitted plans to Richmond County Planning and Zoning to redevelop the deserted mall into an elaborate planned unit development called Cardinal Town Square, complete with retail space, apartments, a performing arts theater and even a school.
The proposed undertaking comes after 25 years of fits and starts to revitalize or repurpose the area, and while neither Kendrick nor officials from Cranston Engineering, who drew up the blueprints, would offer an estimate of the cost, Kendrick did allude to the significance of the project, saying that it would likely be “one of the largest mixed-use projects in Augusta history.”
Kendrick is the chairman of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, which is “the single point of contact for economic development projects in Augusta-Richmond County,” according to both its own website and its section on the Augusta-Richmond County government website.
However, according to Gallop, the Development Authority was not privy to this new undertaking, nor involved in any of the discussions that led to Kendrick’s announcement.
“That’s an individual thing that our chairman is doing with those investors and those owners,” said Gallop. “But the Economic Development Authority has no stake, and we know nothing about the announcement of what occurred. We have made no promises of anything to anyone pertaining to Regency Mall.”
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Kendrick does acknowledge that Cardinale did not approach the Development Authority in “any official way,” and that in his own talks with Cardinale Management about redeveloping the Regency Mall property—which he says have been going on for about a year—he was not representing the Development Authority.
“What would happen for an organization that wants to engage with the Authority is they’d have a meeting at which they would request information about what particular types of incentives available, and documentation would be provided to them so they can put together a package about their project,” Kendrick said. “None of that has happened.”
Kendrick called the media conference to make the announcement, which was at the Regency Mall entrance. Officials from Cranston Engineering, Booker & Associates Architects, as well as Augusta Commissioners Dennis Williams, Bobby Williams and Francine Scott were by his side. No one representing Cardinale Management, which is based in Mattituck, New York, was present.
Kendrick surmises this may be because the Cardinale family feels that a time closer to when the Regency Mall project is approved by Planning would be a more appropriate occasion to make an appearance.
“That might be their thought process,” Kendrick said, “That’s really more on them than it is us.”
Kendrick says his initial introduction to the project was not directly through anyone with the Cardinales, but rather he had been approached by other people who were looking to become involved with the project.
“I’ve been involved in successful projects and getting them off the ground,” he said. “The Kroc Center, the Hub for Community Innovation. Neither one of those were Development Authority based, either. Those were projects that just required someone who kind of knew the landscape as it relates to what particular organizations need to be involved, what types of things you need to be mindful of in those projects. I think it was more them saying, ‘Hey, we’ve seen a few successful projects you’ve done, and so we’re interested in knowing can you help with this?’”
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Kendrick, who is currently in runoff against Garnett Johnson for mayor, mentioned the election in his presentation Tuesday, saying, “If I am fortunate enough to be elected mayor of this great city, I will do everything in my power to represent the residents of Augusta and work with the Cardinale Management team and partners to continue to progress we’ve done thus far.”
Gallup would not say whether the Development Authority would likely take on supporting the project if it were approached by Cardinale, noting the agency’s protocols.
“Everything passes through Cal Wray,” he said, referring to the president of the Development Authority. “And then once it passes through Cal Wray, he brings it to the board, and then we will have discussion and we will vote whether we’re going to participate. That’s how that works.”
Gallop does, however, laud the potential of the Cardinal Town Square development, even saying that he hopes it comes to fruition as a gateway project for south Augusta is needed.
“It would be a marvelous idea,” he said. “But in the past, with the history of that, nothing has materialized.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
