The long-discussed Charleston EDGE building is finally making progress, with investment from both the city and the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority.
CURA voted on Wednesday during its meeting to pay a portion of the expenses for the design development phase of 170 Summers St. - the most recent downtown property targeted as a potential home for the EDGE project.
The EDGE project, which stands for Early Dynamic Guided Engagement, focuses on attracting young talent to the city and providing them with affordable downtown housing.
According to a previous report, sponsors could subsidize rents at the facility for their employees while they participate in a three-year community leadership program.
The design development proposal, submitted by ZMM Architects, costs $137,800. City Council recently voted to approve paying $100,000.
CURA board members voted unanimously in favor of paying the remaining $37,800 on Wednesday.
Executive Director Ron Butlin explained Wednesday that the design development renderings "allows [the board] to get pretty detailed cost proposals, look and [see] what needs to be done on the outside of the building as well as utility services, common area spaces [and] residential spaces proposed by the EDGE project."
Butlin added that this stage is about three-quarters toward having full architectural plans for the building, which is the former site of B&B Loans.
The board also is discussing two bids it received on two East End properties it owns.
Chris Sadd and Philip Chin, two local property owners, have both submitted proposals to acquire and renovate 1212 Quarrier St., as well as the Chamberlain Court apartments behind Roosevelt Community Center and another brick structure on Lewis Street.
Butlin said he couldn't get into the specifics of the proposals on Wednesday because the board didn't vote to award a bid to either developer.
In April, the board granted Sadd an option to purchase the Chamberlain Court building, but that was contingent on whether he was approved for federal tax credits for affordable housing.
After Sadd was denied for those tax credits, the board re-advertised the property.
"As you might imagine, it's complicated. They're challenging properties," Butlin said.
Chamberlain Court has six apartment units, while the building next to it, 1315 Lewis St., has four units.
Butlin said he's been inside the Chamberlain Court building.
"Pretty much, you would need to gut it. In a lot of cases it's got plaster that's failing, so you'd have to take the plaster out and [install] drywall," he said.
Structurally, he said the building is "not terrible."
"The big piece of this conversation is, is it really viable to try and rehab that property?" he said.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.