The Cornerstone Apartment complex at the corner of Boulevard and Wannamaker streets has seen better days. But the owner is hoping to resurrect the property, which has been completely vacant for two years.

Dr. Ajoy G. Chakrabarti and his wife, Sukla, have a permit to renovate five of the front units of the complex facing Boulevard Street.

“It will be completely like new,” Sukla said. “Everything will be done. Everything inside will be completely brand-new.”

City of Orangeburg Building Inspector Richard Hall said the city has sent a number of notices over the years to Chakrabarti about property management and upkeep. He said the owner has been cooperative.

Hall said the property has been the subject of complaints over the years, especially since it became completely vacant.

“It is just a blight on the neighborhood,” Hall said. “Our main concern is to get them repaired and get somebody living in them.”

The city has also condemned the property, meaning that it is deemed unsuitable for public use unless renovated and brought up to code.

“They are vacant and they have vagrants going in and out of them at certain times,” Hall said. But he said that’s not unusual for a vacant property.

“He has boarded them up, done the best thing they can do to keep people out. They are keeping them secure and keeping the property maintained while vacant,” Hall said.

North Charleston-based CW Custom Building & Renovations was contracted to do a complete overhaul of the five units in the latter part of July. They should be ready for renting the first week in September, said project manager Rodney Brown.

New paint is already visible on the buildings’ exterior. Other work will include wiring, plumbing and other upgrades.

The complex has about 18 total units averaging between 600 and 800 square feet. Each unit has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a living room.

The remaining units will be remodeled when the money is available, Dr. Chakrabarti said.

“It is a very expensive process,” Chakrabarti said.

Chakrabarti estimates each unit will cost a minimum of $7,000 to remodel.

His wife said they’re excited about the property.

“It is a fine location,” she said. “It is right across from State and Claflin University. It is prime property.”

Brown said as a Claflin University graduate, the renovation project is more than just a building for him.

“Being a student at Claflin, I wanted to see these things begin to look a lot better,” Brown said. “This is not just a business thing for me. It is a personal thing for me.”

Brown said prior to renovations, the apartments showed signs of vandalism.

“Everything was stolen out of this place,” he said. “All the wires were taken out. We have a very down economy right now and the copper went up. The place was just totally gutted out.”

“When we finish this building we don’t want it to be a sore spot any more., but be a staple of the community,” Brown said. “We want it to look real good.”

About 15 years ago, the apartments housed Orangeburg County Special Needs and Disabilities Board residents, college students and young professionals.

Orangeburg County Special Needs and Disabilities Board House Manager Veronica Bowman says there have been no problems from the vacant apartments next door.

“I know last year they cut the bushes and stuff from around them. ... There were concerns last year where the grass was growing up and it was bringing depreciation for the community. It was bringing it down,” she said.

Bowman said there are a lot of residents on Wannamaker Street which she thinks has helped cut down any serious problems a vacant building could bring.

Stephen Frederick, a rising South Carolina State University senior, said he has lived in the Wannamaker Apartments behind the Cornerstone Apartments for about a month and a half.

“It is real quiet over here,” he said.

Frederick said, “If they do renovate it, you know, there will be a lot of college students out there.”

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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