Source: The Sun News

A rejected proposal for a children's science museum housed in an upside-down building at Broadway at the Beach is getting a second chance.

On Oct. 15, officials from Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc., which owns Broadway at the Beach, and WonderWorks will go before the Myrtle Beach Community Appearance Board for the second time. The board voted 4-3 in August to turn down the plan for WonderWorks, a hands-on science attraction that was slated to open in Myrtle Beach in spring 2010.

At the Aug. 20 meeting, board members commented that the architect needed to be present to provide more information and that the museum was "glaring in size and scope" and not "harmonious with other buildings in the proposed area," according to meeting minutes.

"There is a possibility - certainly not a slam dunk - since they're starting back before the board without preconceived prejudices, that if explained correctly and with the right material, that it will get approved this time," said Larry Bragg, chairman of the Community Appearance Board.

Burroughs & Chapin "believes that the CAB has the best interests of the city at heart," said spokeswoman Lei Gainer.

"We were surprised at the first hearing, but not by the CAB. Despite his best efforts, WonderWorks' architect was unable to make the CAB meeting due to last-minute, unexpected flight cancellations and delays. Therefore, many technical questions could not be answered to the satisfaction of the CAB," Gainer said. "We are hopeful that once the CAB hears that presentation, they will find WonderWorks to be an acceptable addition to Myrtle Beach and Broadway at the Beach."

Officials from WonderWorks could not be reached for comment Friday.

A big factor in the board's rejection of the 30,000-square-foot museum's proposal was its size relative to the other businesses in its proposed location of the former Crab House Restaurant that closed in 2008, Bragg said.

WonderWorks would be about 100 feet tall, while its immediate neighbors are about 12 feet to 20 feet high, Bragg said.

"There is a part of the CAB ordinance regarding how a proposed structure relates to the adjacent properties," he said.

"This part of the ordinance has been used many times by CAB through the years to protect established businesses and properties from becoming overpowered by new applicants' desire to build higher and bigger regardless of the scale of the adjoining businesses."

Other large-scale attractions at Broadway at the Beach are not comparable to WonderWorks, Bragg said.

"You can't say [it's OK because] you've got Planet Hollywood and the [Hard Rock Cafe] pyramid because they aren't near the site to begin with," he said.

Hard Rock Cafe is separated from many of the smaller shops and is "a promenade unto itself," while Planet Hollywood is separated from Broadway at the Beach by 29th Avenue North, Bragg said.

"It's not a frequent thing for them to flatly reject something, but if there is new information that needs to be heard, they have been willing to do that in the past," city of Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark Kruea said.
The Community Appearance Board also rejected the original proposals for the Ripley's Believe It Or Not! museum and the Mellow Mushroom restaurant before confirming them at a second hearing, Kruea said.

The Community Appearance Board must approve all commercial and oceanfront residential construction in the city.

WonderWorks' location in Myrtle Beach is one of three new locations planned in the country, owner Robin Turner has said.

The project's construction and attractions would cost between $13 million and $15 million, and the company would likely employ about 120 people.
WonderWorks, based in Orlando, Fla., has locations in Orlando and in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and two others are planned at the Meadowlands Xanadu in New Jersey and in Panama City, Fla.