Construction on the retail space of the project, to total 135,000 sf, will begin next year with completion scheduled for 2011. Office and medical facilities are also planned for subsequent phases of development. A Crosland representative has confirmed that Buckwalter Commons is set to include sustainable practices such as bio-retention areas, and is sure to use LEED guidelines in its design.

"We are positioning the project to be vibrant and sustainable, with thoughtful design and integrated uses to serve the burgeoning Bluffton market area," said Mike Wiggins, senior vice president of Crosland's retail division, in a prepared statement. Crosland is a privately held company with an asset portfolio and projects under way totaling over $2 billion in market value. The company specializes in developing and managing retail, office, multifamily and mixed-use projects.

Bluffton, SC-based Reed Development specializes residential community development in the Carolina Lowcountry. The company also holds 7,200 acres of land in Jasper and Beaufort Counties that include industrial, commercial, mixed-use and residential development potential.