Downtown RFQ Addendum

DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
WWW.RIDGELANDSC.GOV/BID-OPPORTUNITIES
Town of Ridgeland, SC
1 Town Square
Ridgeland, SC 29936
Contact:
Aaron Rucker
Director of Planning
arucker@ridgelandsc.gov
(843) 726.7521

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................. II
OVERVIEW .................................................... 3
About the Town of Ridgeland ........................... 3
Market Guide ...................................................... 4
Statement of Purpose ........................................ 5
Planning Area Description ................................ 6
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ............................. 7
Overview and History ........................................ 7
Area Vision ....................................................... 10
Anticipated Services ........................................ 12
JACOB SMART BOULEVARD ..................... 13
Overview and History ...................................... 13
Area Vision ....................................................... 15
Anticipated Services ........................................ 16
EXIT 21 ........................................................ 17
Overview and History ...................................... 17
Area Vision ....................................................... 20
Anticipated Services ........................................ 21
PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS ............... 22
Brief on the Comprehensive Plan .................. 22
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ............ 23
Core Anticipated Services .............................. 23
Submittal Requirements .................................. 25
Evaluation Criteria ........................................... 25
ADDENDA TO RFQ ..................................... 26

OVERVIEW
The Town of Ridgeland is requesting qualifications from qualified land planning and
design firms interested in preparing a master plan for the downtown area, which is split
into three distinct Planning Areas and which totals approximately 0.75 square miles.
Deadline For Response: Friday, October 2, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT
About the Town of Ridgeland
Originally known as Gopher Hill, the Town of Ridgeland was incorporated in 1894 and was the
first railroad stop at the highest point in elevation between Savannah and Charleston. With just
over 4,000 residents, Ridgeland is one of the last remaining authentic Lowcountry small towns.
The broader area has a rich history dating back to the Founding Fathers and the Civil War.
Ridgeland is well-known for its commitment to preserving natural resources, small-town charm,
and a business-friendly environment. Ridgeland is the county seat, with the Jasper County
Courthouse and County offices located in Town.
The Town has a relatively
compact footprint centering
around the intersection of Main
Street and Jacob Smart
Boulevard. The Town is
characterized by commercial
development along the primary
roadways, alongside single-family
neighborhoods built in the
Lowcountry vernacular or
otherwise in typical suburban
styles depending on the year each
neighborhood was built. Jasper County Courthouse
Ridgeland is well-positioned to attract investor interest. The Town is located near Beaufort,
Savannah, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island, which are all fast-growing areas. Jasper County is
the fastest growing county in the United States, with a year-over-year growth rate of 5.7% from
2024 to 2025. Ridgeland is expecting rapid growth alongside the County; according to the
Town's estimates, Ridgeland has a population of around 4,000 but predicts that the population
could grow to over 12,000 by the year 2040. The I-95 widening project, scheduled for 2027,
will improve access to the Town and make it a more desirable place for commuters who work
in nearby cities.
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 3

Market Guide
The following excerpts are from the Town of Ridgeland Market Guide, 2021, by Retail Strategies.
(Custom Trade Area)
3 Mile Radius 5 Mile Radius 10 Mile Radius
2020 Estimated Population 8,455 10,693 15,224
Daytime Population 7,757 8,616 13,501
Median HH Income $35,792 $36,986 $41,135
Number of Households 1,506 2,251 3,911
5 Minute DT 10 Minute DT 15 Minute DT
Population Households Median Household Income 2020 Estimated Population 6,603 10,289 13,844
Daytime Population 6,287 8,750 11,669
Median HH Income $34,646 $36,846 $39,221
Number of Households 1,441 2,755 3,594
*Source: STI PopStats
(Custom Trade Area) (Custom Trade Area)
The Gap Analysis is a summary of the primary spending Gaps segmented by retail categor
It measures actual consumer expenditures within the City's trade area and compares it to
the potential retail revenue generated by retailers in the same area. The difference between
the two numbers reflects leakages, or the degree to which consumers travel outside the
Children at home 858 community for certain retail goods and services. The Gap analysis is a useful tool to gauge
retail supply and demand within the community.
Retired/Disable persons3,394
Homemakers 3,357
Grocery Stores $28,056,453
Student Populations 3,753 Foodservice and Drinking Places $18,940,858
Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores $12,968,892
Work at Home 305
Health & Personal Care Stores $10,485,600
Employed 4,686 General Merchandise Stores $4,439,338
Building Material and Garden Equipment Stores $3,722,520
Unemployed 714 Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores $3,683,621
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, Music Stores $3,210,537
The top categories for focused growth in the municipality are pulled from a combination of
The Peer Analysis, built by Retail Strategies along with our analytics partner (Tetrad),
leakage reports, peer analysis, retail trends and real estate intuition. Although these are th
identifies analogue retail nodes within a similar demographic and retail makeup. The
top categories, our efforts are inclusive beyond the defined list.
Peer Analysis is derived from a 5 or 10 minute drive time from major comparable
retail corridors throughout the country. The variables used are population, income,
daytime population, market supply and gross leasable area. The following are retail
areas that most resemble this core city:
Manning SC 500 W Boyce St
Gaffney SC 1204 Bonner Rd
Batesburg SC 290 Willis St
Chesnee SC 5098 Chesnee Hwy
Aiken SC 7011 Harvey Ct
Grocery Restaurants General Home and
Merchandise Garden
Pageland SC 209 S Vanlingle Mungo Blv
Woodruff SC 341 N Main St
Orangeburg SC 1661 Neeses Hwy
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 4

Statement of Purpose
1. The Town of Ridgeland expects substantial population growth. The Town currently has a
population of around 4,000 but predicts that the population could grow to over 12,000 by the
year 2040.
2. The Town wishes to preserve its small-town charm amid this growth, while directing growth
and investment to the underdeveloped properties in the Town's main commercial areas along
Main Street and Jacob Smart Boulevard.
3. The Town wishes to guide and regulate new growth to create a vibrant, walkable urban core,
where new growth is compatible with existing historic buildings. This will require different
strategies in each part of the Planning Area.
4. The Town wishes to prevent new development downtown that is inherently suburban and
auto-oriented. Special attention will be needed for the area around Exit 21 of I-95, which has
two functions as a gateway into the downtown area while also serving the needs of Interstate
traffic.
5. The Town is open to achieving these goals via a wide range of approaches including, but not
limited to, new ordinances, SmartCode zoning reforms, large-scale land planning, public-
private partnerships, and most notably immediately actionable, small-scale solutions.
6. The Town wishes to grow in a way in which local businesses, property owners, local
investors, and local developers can participate and thrive from growth, rather than growth
being driven solely by national players.
7. The Town wishes to implement these goals within the bounds of the Town's form-based
code, the SmartCode.
8. The Town is open to considering contributions to the public realm to enhance revitalization
efforts.
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 5

Planning Area Description
The Planning Area covers the main commercial areas of the Town, with a central locus at Main
Street and Jacob Smart Boulevard (U.S. Highway 17). Both Main Street and Jacob Smart
Boulevard are the primary entrances to the community with direct access to Interstate 95 from
Exits 18, 21, and 22.
The Planning Area can be broken into three distinct areas. The consultant shall provide area-
specific recommendations for Historic Main Street, Jacob Smart Boulevard, and Exit 21,
recognizing that each subarea has different development patterns, transportation functions,
historic character, and regulatory needs.
1. The Historic Downtown along West Main Street;
2. the Jacob Smart Boulevard corridor;
3. and East Main Street where it meets I-95 (Exit 21).
Map of the Planning Area.
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 6

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN
Overview and History
The Historic Downtown is composed of the
historic core of Ridgeland, largely built in the
early-to-mid-1900s when the Town's growth
was influenced first by the railroad and then
by its position as the County seat. The Town
found its beginnings as the small community
of Gopher Hill, which began to grow when the
Charleston and Savannah Railway was built
through the area in the 1850s. When Jasper
County was established in 1912, Ridgeland
was made the County seat, cementing its
regional importance. As a result, the Historic
Downtown centers around two areas: the
Map of Ridgeland in 1964, centered on the
Historic Main Street where the old railroad
railroad where it meets the Historic Downtown
station was located, and the Jasper County
Courthouse where municipal and county
government offices are located.
The surrounding neighborhood composes
the oldest intact neighborhood in Ridgeland,
surprisingly well-preserved, with nearly all
buildings dating back to the early 1900s.
Most of these houses were built in the
Bungalow, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival
architectural styles. There are several
notable buildings spread out across this
area, including the C.E. Perry House,
Ridgeland Centralized Graded School, Pratt
Memorial Library, and the Wise House. All of
these buildings, possibly the entire
Downtown core, may be eligible for listing in
Historic C.E. Perry House, c.1900
the National Register of Historic Places.
The Main Street includes several important public spaces. The Town Clock and Gopher Tortoise
Square are character-defining public squares. There is a small business community including
the popular sit-down restaurants Eats and Sweets, Fiddlers Seafood, and Taqueria Rocio. Main
Street is anchored by the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, a museum and non-profit space
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 7

located in a converted 1930s Sinclair gas station, which is also listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. There are a variety of land uses including restaurants, convenience stores,
groceries, retail, offices, pop-up churches, and public squares.
The other focal point of downtown is the Jasper County Courthouse and the surrounding
neighborhood. The Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is
flanked by other civic uses such as the Veterans Memorial Park, the Clementa Pinckney
Government Building, and Ridgeland Town Hall.
Over the years, the Town has made substantial investments into the area, including streetscape
improvements, various public squares, the Farmers Market pavilion, and the renovated Fire
Station. However, there is vacant and underutilized land scattered throughout the Historic
Downtown, creating opportunities for revitalization and infill redevelopment.
Aerial view of West Main Street
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 8

Typical view down West Main Street Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage c.1937
Ridgeland Centralized Graded School c.1928 Ridge Pointe Square
Craftsman style house c.1925 Ridgeland Town Hall
Req u est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 9

Area Vision
The Town is fortunate to have a functional Main Street with an active business community, as
well as an intact historic center dating back to the early 1900s. The Town views these as assets
that it wishes to safeguard and preserve. Additionally, as the Town grows over time, it wishes to
expand its small business community, regulate new buildings to fit in with the existing historic
fabric, beautify the Historic Main Street, and communicate the history of the Town to the public
at large.
Historic preservation is a major priority for the
Town. Preservation protects Ridgeland's small-
town charm, the character of its old buildings,
and the places that are key to the Town's
history. The Town is interested in a variety of
preservation strategies including stricter
architectural regulations (currently ongoing),
establishment of a Landmarks overlay or
Historic District to protect the most important
structures (prior to 2010, Ridgeland had a
"Craftsman Bungalow District Overlay Area"
Bungalow house c.1915
which protected historic structures),
establishment of a demolition/major alteration review process, and the addition of buildings (if
not the entire historic core) to the National Register of Historic Places.
Aside from preservation, the Town also wishes to better communicate Ridgeland's history to
the public. Ridgeland has a rich history shaped by the ever-changing agricultural industry, the
Civil War, major transportation routes (Atlantic Coast Line railroad, US-17, I-95), and its status
as the County Seat; however, much of this history is only known to long-time residents and not
properly communicated to newcomers and tourists. The Town seeks to leverage its history as
an asset that gives the Town character, makes it a recognized place of importance, and which
attracts business and commerce. The Town is interested in a variety of strategies including the
further research of historic properties (and publishing that research to the public), listing of
buildings to the National Register of Historic Places, placement of historic markers/walking tour
signs throughout the Downtown, partnerships with the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage,
public art/mural programs which reference the Town's history (currently ongoing), and the
integration of the Town's history into its civic branding (e.g. references to Gopher Hill, Battle of
Honey Hill).
Requ est for Qualifications | Downtown Master Plan 10