Augusta, GA

Mills’ redeveloper, Augusta Canal Authority go to battle in lawsuits

Published

7 months ago

June 4, 2024

Mills’ redeveloper, Augusta Canal Authority go to battle in lawsuits

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Canal Authority and a developer are involved in lawsuits over two mill renovation projects in Augusta.

The lawsuits involve the King Mill and the Sibley Mill. Both former textile mills are along the canal and were bought years ago by the authority for preservation.

Both mills include hydropower facilities powered by water from the canal.

The authority sold portions of King Mill to an affiliate of Cape Augusta and leased portions of Sibley Mill to a Cape Augusta affiliate.

The authority retained power-generating equipment, however.

The authority sued an affiliate of Cape Augusta over damage to power equipment and loss of electricity sales at King Mill.

Meanwhile, the authority was sued by a Cape Augusta affiliate over the authority’s refusal to support rezoning parts of the Sibley Mill campus for apartments.

At King Mill

The authority says the buyer of King Mill failed to adequately maintain the roof and floors above the hydroelectric facility, which the authority retained ownership of, according to a lawsuit the authority filed in September.

This allowed rainwater into the equipment area and caused a fire that “rendered the hydro power generators inoperable for an extended period of time,” according to the lawsuit.

The authority says repairs would cost nearly $560,000, and these repairs are ongoing.

King Mill(File photo)

The authority also says in its September 2023 lawsuit it hasn’t been able to generate or sell electricity from the mill since Dec. 21, 2021, a loss of nearly $645,000.

The lawsuit alleges the Cape Augusta affiliate breached its contractual obligations. The lawsuit alleges the Cape Augusta affiliate is liable for all losses and damages suffered by the authority. The authority also seeks attorney and litigation costs, as well as interest.

The authority alleges that although Cape Augusta has sold part of the mill to Crossgate Partners for development as apartments, the damage occurred when Cape Augusta owned the main mill building.

READ THE LAWSUIT:

At Sibley Mill

Cape Augusta had originally planned to use Sibley Mill for a data center but later entered an agreement Crossgate under which Crossgate wants to turn part of the old mill into apartments.

That requires rezoning.

The authority says it won’t allow the rezoning without revisions of the lease to reflect a new masterplan without the data center. The authority also says Cape Augusta has failed to maintain the roof.

Cape Augusta in its May 2024 lawsuit against the authority says that use of Sibley Mill as a data center is no longer feasible.

The lawsuit quotes the lease as stating that the landlord and tenant are to cooperate with one another and that the landlord recognizes that the “substantial rehabilitation process and the varied sources of project funding make it extremely difficult to anticipate every potential revision which may be required in this Lease.”

The lawsuit says the lease states that the landlord will use all reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests.

The lawsuit claims the authority is withholding its cooperation for redevelopment as apartments without two things:

Getting “a price greatly in excess of the Present Day Fair Market Value of the remaining rent and the leasehold residual value of the Mill site.”
Payment of claimed damages in the lawsuit filed by the authority, which Cape Augusta calls “frivolous, meritless and unresolved.”

Cape Augusta asks in the lawsuit that the court issue an injunction against the authority or else find the authority in breach of contract. The lawsuit also seeks attorney and litigation fees.

READ THE LAWSUIT:

The authority’s statement

The authority issued a statement Monday saying it “strongly supports the redevelopment of Sibley and King Mills, so that they benefit the citizens of Augusta.”

The statement continues: “However, the Authority recognizes that it must also comply with its duty to be a good steward of these publicly funded assets. For these reasons, the Authority intends to continue its lawsuit to recover for the damage associated with the King Mill fire and to defend the lawsuit filed by the Cape Augusta affiliate.”

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Augusta, GA

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

Published

6 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Multiple cars crashed due to winter weather conditions on I-20 in the CSRA early Friday morning, according to authorities.

On I-20 in Augusta, the road conditions at the Washington Road exit were hazardous, according to our reporter on the interstate.

Our reporter saw another wreck on the Bobby Jones overpass from I-520 to I-20 at 10:35 a.m. We’ve reached out to learn more.

Across the river, on I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

On I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

We have reached out to learn more.

Dispatch told us crews were on the scene of a multiple-car crash on I-20 eastbound at the Walton Way extension ramp at 9:25 a.m.

Officials say at least two vehicles were involved, but more were reported, and they are unsure how many exactly.

They did however say more vehicles became involved after sliding on the road from weather conditions.

Dispatch says they are unsure of any injuries or if any lanes were blocked.

Augusta, GA

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The new Wayfair outlet is now open at the Augusta Exchange.

You will be able to find furniture and home décor at the location that used to be a Buy Buy Baby store.

It’s the latest store to open in the Augusta area.

One customer we spoke with says he thinks the store will be here for a while as it brings something different to the area.

“People are here spending money and they are here to make their house look better. I never thought I would be a dude in his 40s in an outlet, me in an outlet. But I did it today and I think it’s good,” said Carlton Ferguson.

It’s welcome news for fans of the Augusta Exchange, which has seen a bevy of closures in the past couple of years, including Subway, Genghis Grill, O’Charley’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby and Christmas Tree Shops.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

Published

23 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – There can be big time disaster emergencies in Augusta, but an emergency management director is not a full-time position for the city.

“I think lessons learned from Hurricane Helene, we desperately need it as we try to recover our city as we try to prepare from the next storm,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

The consolidation bill gives the mayor the authority to name an EMA director.

But for the last 20 years, the mayors have called on the fire chief to pull double duty while getting supplement pay.

But at the Mayor Johnson’s request, commissioners have approved beginning the process to hire a full time EMA director.

“You want to make sure that when disasters come, we are 100 percent fully prepared,” said Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

“A city our size deserves someone who is full time committed to that role that helps with our storm preparedness,” said Mayor Johnson.

But when commissioners approved this year’s budget in November, funding for a new EMA director was not a part of it.

“You talking about cutting budgets but yet you’re talking about increasing personnel. It comes with a cost,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.

“It will pay for itself as we go through this recovery for Hurricane Helene, as we try to see out grant opportunities and funding opportunities for reimbursement,” said the Mayor.

For sure the city has not seen its last emergency, now the city is seeking a permanent director to manage it.

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