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Council designates Bostwick–Hitchcock stables "non‑contributing" after months of dispute
Summary
After lengthy public comment and competing recommendations from the Design Review Board (DRB) and Planning Commission, Aiken City Council voted to add the Bostwick–Hitchcock stables to the city historic register as non‑contributing, clearing the way for the property owners’ planned preservation and partial replacement work.
Aiken City Council on Jan. 27 designated the Bostwick–Hitchcock stables (Warren Street SW, tax parcel 105‑12‑1‑006) as non‑contributing structures on the city historic register. The planning commission had voted 7–0 to recommend non‑contributing status after the DRB’s earlier 4–3 recommendation for contributing status.
The designation was the focal point of a heated multi‑month review that brought competing views about preservation, property rights and process. Supporters of contributing status — including the Historic Aiken Foundation and preservation scholars — said the stables meet multiple criteria for historical significance tied to Aiken’s equestrian history and the families associated with the site. They urged that the DRB designation be upheld so the board could apply the higher review standard for demolition or alteration.
Property owners and the prospective purchasers, the Kisner family, urged designation as non‑contributing. They and several neighbors said the structures are deteriorated, not suited to modern equine uses, and that non‑contributing status would allow the DRB to evaluate an applicant’s certificate of appropriateness under a lower burden. The prospective owners presented engineering reports and an intent to preserve at least portions of the stables; members of the Bostwick family submitted letters supporting the Kisners’ stewardship plans.
Public comment included equestrian historians, preservationists, longtime local residents and members of the Bostwick and Hitchcock families. Several speakers raised concerns about process irregularities during the DRB and planning commission review, and others emphasized the need for rapid resolution to allow preservation work to begin.
When council took a vote to adopt the planning commission recommendation, the motion passed with a 6–1 tally in favor of designating the stables non‑contributing. Council discussion emphasized property owners’ rights, the potential for a preservation‑minded redevelopment led by the Kisners, and the need to move forward after months of contested process.
The non‑contributing designation places the stables on the city historic register but allows future DRB consideration of demolition or partial demolition under a lower standard than would apply to a landmark or contributing structure. The Kisner team told council they plan to submit a certificate of appropriateness and preservation plan to the DRB and to preserve portions of the structure where feasible.
Council’s decision does not itself authorize demolition; any work will require the DRB process and applicable permits.
The controversy prompted multiple calls during the meeting for clearer procedures and earlier owner–applicant communications during designation reviews; several council members said they would pursue procedural clarifications to avoid similar disputes.
