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Councilman Braddock proposes Saint Joseph Trade School and dense housing at former First Step site on Washington Street
Summary
Councilman Brian Braddock outlined a concept to redevelop the former Saint Joseph/First Step school on Washington Street into a trade‑focused education center paired with dense housing — including tiny homes or workforce units — and asked council to open dialogue on incentives and potential transitional housing uses.
Hartsville — Councilman Brian Braddock asked the City Council on March 4 to consider a redevelopment proposal for the former Saint Joseph (First Step) campus on Washington Street that would combine a hands‑on trade school with housing and community services.
Braddock described the “Saint Joseph’s Trade School Project” as a proposal to reuse the historic school campus to teach trades such as carpentry, upholstery, masonry and culinary skills while adding campus housing and compact housing units behind the main building. “We see this property as the city of Hartsville's property, the community's property,” Braddock told council during his presentation.
Why it matters: Braddock framed the project as a workforce and economic development tool that could create local small businesses, keep jobs and wages in town, and provide pathways into well‑paying trades that he said are currently aging out of the local labor force. Braddock emphasized combining technical training with business skills and life‑skills classes so trainees could form local businesses or take paid work immediately.
Proposal details discussed
- Site components: Braddock described the existing campus as having classrooms and other basic infrastructure suitable for reuse, and he proposed removing a modular building (referred to as Building 3 in the presentation) to open space for higher‑density housing such as tiny homes. He said a small, dense cluster on roughly two to three acres could yield about 20–30 units depending on design.
- Housing and supportive options: The project concept includes small worker housing or tiny‑home clusters, possible secure/gated sites, and campus housing to support students and trainees. Braddock also discussed alternative ideas including a senior community using the church as a community center.
- Transitional housing and supportive services: Councilwoman Mack and other members asked whether the plan could include transitional housing for people displaced by fire or other short‑term crises. Mack described a need for short‑term, transitional shelter options rather than a long‑term institutional shelter. Braddock said the goal was preventive and supportive rather than duplicating full residential rehabilitation programs.
- Funding and incentives: Braddock requested city interest in economic development incentives to lower upfront costs such as demolition, site work or infrastructure improvements during initial development. He said partners would be private and that he was open to a public‑private approach and to working with staff on zoning and code needs.
Questions and next steps
Council members asked staff to open a dialogue about ordinances, incentives and available city programs. Andrea, the city manager, and other staff said they would advise on zoning, code requirements and potential incentive packages and invited Braddock to bring concrete proposals for staff review and a future council agenda item.
Ending: Council thanked Braddock for bringing an initial concept and invited him to continue refining the proposal with staff around site planning, financing and program details; no formal action or commitment of incentives was taken at the March 4 meeting.
