Two Clemson professors and twenty-two graduate students met with residents of Sans Souci at Sans Souci Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 28, to give information concerning a practicum at the old Union Bleachery site. This course of study by the Clemson students is their final course before graduation. They will be studying the core area of the old mill which consists of about sixty acres. It is understood that this is a challenging project.
The project will be divided into four stages. Students will do:
1.) A site analysis which will consist of the topography study, environmental study, the potential uses, and how the sit is tied to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the Reedy River.
2.) A market analysis will included a demographic study of the community and trends related to the area.
3.) A financial analysis which must be viable. It must be a doable project and not a pipe dream.
4.) A development plan.
As the project proceeds, residents will be given an opportunity to give their input as to what the community wants to see happen to the site.
Clemson has done other practicum in Greenville. The latest two have been the Greenville County Square development and the Willy Taco business establishment.
It has been over ten years since Union Bleacher burned. Finally, the community is seeing some progress in making the site an asset to the community.