What stemmed from the love and inspiration of historic building styles of Old Europe — particularly Italy — BridgeWay Station became the brainchild of Hughes Investments Inc. President Phil Hughes.
Hughes said his company initially bought the first 52-acre parcel of land at the site nearly 40 years ago. Since then, Hughes Investments has acquired roughly 180 acres in the vicinity of Via Corso Avenue in Mauldin.
“We originally set out to build an industrial park, but development was paused due to an unexpected sewer moratorium,” said Hughes. “However, this setback presented a silver lining.”
The development pause prompted a shift in perspective, he said, leading them to recognize the area’s potential for a distinct opportunity – the creation of a new town center in Mauldin.
“This specific location is so well-suited for a high-quality development where people can not only work but also live, shop, enjoy a good bite to eat, have a beer, relax and enjoy their community,” said Hughes. “We hope that BridgeWay truly enhances the visual appeal of the surroundings but also contributes to a sense of identity and pride within the community. The collaboration and collective effort of everyone involved undoubtedly play a vital role in the success of such endeavors. It’s heartening to know that our community has embraced and appreciated the outcome, showcasing the enduring appeal of timeless, ‘old world’ architectural style. We are trying to bring that proven beauty to our hometown in an authentic way.”
Hughes Investments incorporated many relics hand-selected and imported directly from Italy, as well as reclaimed mill brick from local mills to build BridgeWay, Hughes said. The reclaimed bricks have come from —just to name a few — Buffalo Mill in Union County, Laurens Mill, Joanna Mill in Laurens County, and Browns Mill in Concord. The commitment and craftsmanship of the masons in creating intricate exteriors are crucial in capturing the authenticity of the old-world charm, he added.
The market data for the surrounding area is “exceptional,” Hughes said, characterized by high-traffic volume on Interstate 385 and significant growth trends in Mauldin, Five Forks, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn and the entire region. Hughes felt confident that the diverse mix of uses and creating a project with walkability and accessibility in mind would resonate with many residents in this expanding area. Moreover, collaborating with the city of Mauldin has been “a genuine pleasure,” Hughes said.
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“They have proven to be more than just a bureaucratic entity, serving more as a true partner and collaborator from the get-go,” he said. “Mauldin’s unwavering support and cooperative approach have been consistently remarkable throughout this ongoing process.”
When asked how much of an investment building BridgeWay Station is, Hughes said, “We are more focused on the beauty than the cost, and hope others will focus on that, too.”
That beauty came with its own set of challenges throughout the process.
Developers went through many iterations of master plans and goals, Hughes said. The COVID-19 pandemic’s lingering after-effects impacted those plans – along with the entire construction sector – in terms of the size of its first phase of development, budget, timing and partners they wanted to work with, he said.
“Overall, and despite these significant challenges, the most important lesson learned has been to deal with good people – from the contractors and architects to the tenants and the bankers,” said Hughes. “The quality of the development is always a reflection of the quality of the people you deal with. And we’ve been very fortunate.”
In addition to the city of Maulding, partners who have been instrumental in bringing BridgeWay Station to life are McMillan Pazdan Smith as the architects, Harper General Contractors, Johnston Design Group, Eric Brown, United Infrastructure Group, Strange Bros. Grading Co., Emory Electric, Greystar, Envirocare, Site Design, specialty masons and others.
Currently, office space at BridgeWay is fully leased. Retail tenants were 100% leased, but one tenant unfortunately encountered financial hardship and is leaving, so BridgeWay has one remaining 6,000-square-foot space for lease, said Hughes.
With BridgeWay Station’s official grand opening in April, Hughes said Phase I of the project will be complete.
“Our focus right now is getting through these openings, but we are always working hard and thinking about the future – how can we improve? What is missing? How can we best serve the community through smart growth? As a native Greenvillian, I am passionate about both preserving and creating quality growth for my hometown,” said Hughes. “We never build for the sake of building. Nor do we build for the sake of selling. We build to last. And hopefully we will soon shape an exciting new addition for upcoming phases of this project.”
The post A Mauldin landmark: here’s what inspired BridgeWay Station appeared first on GSA Business Report.
