Twelve new homes are under construction at the former Cayce Grammar School site at Hattie’s Crossing, located at 800 Lexington Ave. Construction is expected to be completed this fall, according to a release.

All homes will have three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 square feet. Each home will include its own yard and front porch. The development will offer one and two-story, single-family homes in four models, with prices ranging from $379,000 to $399,000.

According to a press release, six of the homes will face Lexington Avenue and the other six will face Poplar Street.

Allison Ramsey Architects of Beaufort designed the four models, each with different interior layouts and color schemes. Fulfilled Engineering of West Columbia is serving as the civil engineer for the project, and Haven Homes of Irmo is the builder.

Marketing for the project is being handled by The Wheeler Group, powered by Coldwell Banker Realty.

“I’m truly grateful to see Hattie’s Crossing taking shape, bringing 12 new homes to the highly sought-after Cayce avenues,” Cayce Councilman Byron Thomas said in the media release. “This project not only provides new housing opportunities for families but it also transforms a long-dormant, non-tax paying property into a valuable source of tax revenue. These homes will help strengthen our city’s tax base and support continued investment in public services, infrastructure, and overall quality of life for all Cayce residents.”

The name “Hattie’s Crossing” pays tribute to Hattie Derrenbacher, who established the first school in Cayce in 1913, teaching nine students out of her home. She later taught at Cayce’s first public school.

After a fire destroyed that building, a new school was built, which became Cayce Grammar School. The school closed in 1976 and eventually was demolished.

Hattie’s Crossing is a project of Columbia developers Mark James and Tyler Baldwin Jr. of Cypress Development Partners, who bought the school property in 2018.

“Arriving at the right development plan for this property took careful thought and consideration,” James said. “We considered the desires of the local residents and worked with the City of Cayce to make sure the project is consistent with the City’s vision.”

James also said the history of the property helped shape generations of Cayce residents.

“Lexington School District Two is pleased with this fitting tribute to Hattie Derrenbacher, a woman who dedicated her life to educating the children who would one day be productive citizens and leaders of our great city of Cayce,” Brenda Hafner, superintendent of Lexington County School District Two, said in a release.

Tim James, CEO of Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, shared similar sentiments. “As a former student at Cayce Grammar School, it makes me proud to see the property evolve into beautiful homes for families to enjoy,” he said. “We are excited about these homes in the Avenues, and appreciate the developers for recognizing the importance of the namesake to keep the original intent of the property alive.”

In other news

A development, Brighton, is set to bring nearly 400 homes to the Town of Chapin.

First proposed in 2024, the updated plan proposes 382 single-family homes and five different home types.

Over the past year, the town’s planning commission has met four times to discuss and make tweaks to the project.

At its most recent meeting, commissioners were shown new changes, including increased lot size minimums and reduced density.

The commission will meet again for the final vote. If approved, construction could begin as early as October of this year.