Historic Aiken Foundation

04/11/2026

Just a quick reminder that I'll be at the Fermata Club tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, for a presentation on the Fermata School's history (1919-1941).

The presentation starts at 5:30 pm on Saturday, April 11. But you can arrive early and view a new exhibit about the school and the club from 3 pm to 5 pm.

This event is free and open to the public.

03/18/2026

𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓!

The City of Aiken is updating its Zoning Ordinance. Changes will affect both historic and non-historic areas and guide future development - type, where, density. Please attend and share your thoughts about what’s working and what could be updated in Aiken’s current zoning code.

• Date: March 18, 2026
• Time: Drop in anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 PM
• Place: Municipal Building Lobby, 111 Chesterfield St. South, Aiken, SC 29801
For more information regarding the project or to review the Preliminary Recommendations Report, visit the project website:

Create your own initiative by combining existing applications with a custom site. Use this initiative to form teams around a problem and invite your community to participate.

02/11/2026

𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔!!

The City of Aiken is updating its zoning and subdivision regulations to create a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that aligns with the Plan Aiken Comprehensive Plan, modernizes standards, and makes requirements more user-friendly. The UDO will affect the whole city, not just historic areas.

Tomorrow night, the City and contractor will host a work session with City Council and the Planning Commission to present the interim report and recommendations. Please come!

Date: Thursday, February 12th
Time: 5:30 pm
Place: Lessie B. Price Senior and Youth Center

To view the agenda and report, visit

12/11/2025

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬!

At Monday night's City Council meeting, the HAF Board spoke in favor of a development agreement between the City and Oliver Hospitality that will allow Oliver to move forward with developing the Hotel Aiken and nearby properties. The Board believes that the experience, track record, and commitment of Oliver provide the best opportunity for historic preservation.

But the most meaningful comments at the meeting were made on behalf of small business. Jim Tunison (president of the Chamber of Commerce), EmmaLee Sams (executive director of ADDA), Sam Erb (long-time businessman), and Jeannette Moseley (owner of Vampire Penguin) all gave powerful speeches about the need to move forward with revitalizing our downtown to support the small businesses there.

Experience in other communities has proven that historic preservation increases tourism and incentivizes new companies to relocate to an area, both of which are good for small business. Great job, everybody!

Learn more about the project here:

Slide 1Slide 1 (current slide) Slide 2Slide 2 (current slide) Slide 3Slide 3 (current slide) Slide 4Slide 4 (current slide) Slide 5Slide 5 (current slide) DOwntown Aiken REDevelopmentAiken, SC Oliver Hospitality is acquiring 6 available downtown parcels from the city of Aiken, South Carolina and pla...

12/01/2025

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆....

On Sunday November 16th, HAF was delighted to present awards to four outstanding projects that exemplified the best in historic preservation. Plus, representatives from three of those projects shared stories of what it was like to undertake the work! Thank you to all who attended, to the panelists, and most especially to the owners, architects, and contractors who made these projects happen!

11/15/2025

11/03/2025

𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙃𝘼𝙁'𝙨 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 16𝙩𝙝!

10/23/2025

Oliver Hospitality has created a website for the public to learn more about the Hotel Aiken project. Click on the photo below to check it out!

Slide 1Slide 1 (current slide) Slide 2Slide 2 (current slide) Slide 3Slide 3 (current slide) Slide 4Slide 4 (current slide) Slide 5Slide 5 (current slide) Slide 6Slide 6 (current slide) DOwntown Aiken REDevelopmentAiken, SC Oliver Hospitality is acquiring 6 available downtown parcels from the city o...

10/10/2025

Did you make it to the Oliver Group's workshop on the Hotel Aiken and nearby properties? They've made a good start! Preserved: the hotel, the McGhee Block/Johnson Drugstore, the Aiken Standard building, and the Beckman building (home of Vampire Penguin and all). New: a hotel annex, a retail/residential building in place of the Holley House, a parking deck facing Newberry St, and a rooftop bar. And Bee Lane looks dynamic!

09/29/2025

REMINDER! Come see what’s up with the Hotel Aiken and nearby properties!

Monday September 29th, 5-7 pm
Tuesday September 30th, noon-2 pm

Newberry Hall, 117 Newberry St SW

09/19/2025

𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑲 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑺𝑬 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑺

The future developer for the Hotel Aiken and associated properties is hosting 2 public input workshops. This will be the start of creating a concept plan for the properties, and they need your input.

September 29, 5-7 pm, Newberry Hall
September 30, 12-2 pm, Newberry Hall

09/18/2025

𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙥 For those who might have missed it, the workshop to explore concepts for developing the block east of Marlboro St. and northeast of the historic Farmer's Market was an excellent example of listening to the community. The developer’s vision is for a block that would be primarily residential with some light commercial/retail. Notable features of the current concept:
- Buildings that are staggered both in layout and height (1-3 stories) to provide character, green spaces, and walkability.
- Unit sizes and features that target owners and renters with a wide range of incomes to create a diverse community.
- A site plan designed around preserving significant trees onsite.
- A plan that would allow the city to reestablish the parkway on Marlboro St.