top 10 wish list for Florence

[thebarb20]

Just so Florence isnt left out of top 10's

1. A Knowledge-based employer locates in Florence

2. 301 Bypass starts construction to complete it

3. I-73 somehow ends up in Florence Co.

4. New restaurants downtown + retail

5. West Florence road improvements

6. a retail establishment in East or North Florence to balance out

7. consolidation of School District 4 (timmonsville) into School District I (this will free up undeveloped property for growth)

8. new Office Center downtown (more than 8 stories)

9. I-20 runs through Florence to MB (common sense)

10. my property taxes go down

[Jerseyman4]

301 Bypass starts construction to complete it

Is there any plans for a US 52 bypass? Whats the need of a US 301 bypass, not to say that its not needed because i dont know too much about Florence traffic except just about all of the state and US highways go to downtown it seems.

I-73 somehow ends up in Florence Co.

Very logical but not to politicians

West Florence road improvements

Ive noticed a bit of new housing west of I-95 between TV Road and US 76

I-20 runs through Florence to MB (common sense)

Let it go to Wilmington, hehe

my property taxes go down

Thats everybodys wish

[Mr.Marc]

If I had one wish, it would be for I-20 to run from Florence to Myrtle Beach. If that wish came true everything else from development to positive population changes would come into place.

[thebarb20]

301 Bypass starts construction to complete it

Is there any plans for a US 52 bypass? Whats the need of a US 301 bypass, not to say that its not needed because i dont know too much about Florence traffic except just about all of the state and US highways go to downtown it seems. 3

reply:301 bypass connects from us 52/301 on the south side of town to 76/301 on the east side of town, it has not been finished b/c there needs to be a bridge built

I-73 somehow ends up in Florence Co.

Very logical but not to politicians ,

reply: the politicians want it to go through marion co to myrtle beach.

I-20 runs through Florence to MB (common sense)

Let it go to Wilmington, hehe

reply: SC will never support a hwy that goes to NC's coast

[Charleston native]

Good ideas for Florence. Mine fall along the same categories, but the actual detail is different.

1. I-73 completed going past east and south Florence and ending in Charleston. (logical route)

2. I-20 going through south Florence and ending in MB (the other logical route!)

3. Downtown revitalization including location of new restaurants, shops, and company HQs

4. Exterior and interior renovation of Magnolia Mall including Belk's department store coupled with several upscale chains locating in the mall

5. Street beautification of ALL Florence streets including burying utility lines, increased lighting, and mast arm traffic signals

6. Several new chain restaurants such as Carrabba's, Olive Garden, and Longhorns locating to several retail areas of the city

7. Clean-up of the city's east side such as beautification of the city entrance and extensive renovation of neighborhoods

8. Location of biomedical tech companies in conjunction with the city's high level of medical care

9. Annexation of all outlying developed areas up to Timmonsville and Francis Marion University

10. Completion of the new shopping complex to be built off of S. Cashua Drive in conjunction with widening Cashua from US 76 to Second Loop.

[GSP Tiger]

1.) Extend I-20 to Myrtle Beach

2.) Build a Interstate loop on Florence's east side to connect I-95 traffic north and south to Myrtle Beach

3.) More mid and high rises

4.) More restaurants

5.) More retail

6.) More entertainment

7.) Residential towers

8.) More streetscapes

9.) High-tech employers

10.) A stronger quality of life

[flotown]

Off the top of my head and in no particular order....

1. 301 Bypass completed from Pamplico Hwy to Hwy. 327 leading to I-95.

2. A downtown ballpark and a minor league team. It's been 20 years since the Blue Jays left; I think they'd do better than the Pride with maintaining their following.

3. Third Loop Road widened; also the road connecting Second Loop and David McLeod Blvd.

4. More high tech industries (preferably downtown, or along the I-95 corridor)

5. Demolition or refurbishment of abandoned houes in East Florence (E. Pine Street is a disgrace)

6. Private money (Bruce & Lee Foundation etc.) awards to citizens in run-down low income areas for sprucing up their properties.

7. Relaxing Sunday alcohol blue laws, especially along the I-95 corridor.

8. FMU opening up a downtown campus, or at least expanding their reach beyond Mars Bluff. FMU is a quality school with no significant presence in the city of Florence.

9. A few downtown skyscrapers, including a new city/county complex to replace the ugly 11 story monstrosity that's there now.

10. Cleaning up Ruby's old rubbish strewn property at Cashua and Second Loop. In fact, why not that whole seedy stretch of Cashua leading up to Delmae (much of it owned by the Ruby Kemmerlin clan).

Personally, I think #'s 1-9 will happen before # 10 ever does.

[Charleston native]

Welcome to the UP, flotown! My wife lived there for a year before she married me, and she taught at Carver Elementary School. She sometimes misses the people there because it was so friendly. I have to say, Florence is the friendliest SC city I've been in next to my hometown. I read your earlier post in the Florence thread, and you provide some great insight into the city. Please keep posting here about what's happening in the city.

Your top 10 wish list is excellent! I especially like your 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 10th ideas in the list. I've been saying for quite some time that Florence has tremendous potential to be a great SC city. Those ideas would be excellent first steps into achieving that. Another road that terribly needs to be widened is Dozier Blvd which connects David McLeod to US 76. There is a ton of traffic on that road all the time. I guess I should have included it on my list.

BTW, what is the name of the shopping complex that is supposed to be built in between US 76 and S. Cashua?

[flotown]

BTW, what is the name of the shopping complex that is supposed to be built in between US 76 and S. Cashua?

Thanks for your comments. I believe the proposed shopping center is Celebration Center or Square. That land has been cleared for 3 years, and other than the Assurant building, it is still nothing but a giant open field. I've heard Publix was going in there for years, but whatever goes there, Cashua will need to be widened first. Why it wasn't widened all the way to US 76 a few years ago is a mystery (funding, no doubt).

[Charleston native]

Celebration Center...now I remember. While I was still dating my wife, she lived at those apartments on Brittany Drive adjacent to the shopping center land. I think it is a great idea; according to other locals I talked to, the shopping complex is supposed to be a smaller version of Myrtle Beach's Broadway at the Beach. The area would indeed benefit from a large retail presence. However, I do agree...Cashua needs to be widened from Second Loop all the way to US 76 before they build it. Installing sidewalks, lights, and burying all utilities along that stretch would also be a great improvement.

I've had this question for quite some time now. Why is there no Starbucks in the entire city?! It has a significant university there, but hardly any coffee shops. I know there is one at that corner building of Celebration, but besides Joe Muggs in the Books-A-Million, I don't think there are any others.

[flotown]

I've had this question for quite some time now. Why is there no Starbucks in the entire city?! It has a significant university there, but hardly any coffee shops. I know there is one at that corner building of Celebration, but besides Joe Muggs in the Books-A-Million, I don't think there are any others.

I recently heard that Starbucks is looking into building on the site of Benton's Restaurant once they move across the street. Interestingly, the Pic & Pay site next door at Five Points was also mentioned as a future potential Starbucks site. My "source" is a prominent Florence realtor who shall remain nameless, though they did not swear me to secrecy. Apparently, Starbucks is examining the Florence market, but have yet to commit. Hopefully, this is more fact than rumor. We'll see.

[Mr.Marc]

I heard that Florence is getting a Home Depot. Per my sources, the Home Depot is slated to be located along the I-95 corridor near Target. Have you heard anything about this Flotown?

Also, I must say I love how Florence takes advantage of its presence along I-95. I only wish Sumter had done the same.

[DigitalSky]

I am so surprised Florence doesn't have a Home Depot yet!

[flotown]

I heard that Florence is getting a Home Depot. Per my sources, the Home Depot is slated to be located along the I-95 corridor near Target. Have you heard anything about this Flotown?

Yes, Home Depot is coming. It is slated to be built across from the Civic Center on the vacant property east of the GE building. The development will be called Plaza at Magnolia, and preliminary plans have been filed for an Olive Garden, Chilis and LongHorn Steakhouse on the site. This info per the Morning News. I've also heard rumors of a Carrabas italian restaurant opening somewhere, but it may be just a rumor.

Radio Road is due to be widened to accomodate a middle turn lane, and the frontage road (Dunbarton) is to be re-routed further down Radio Rd. to avoid bottlenecks. Personally, I think Radio needs to be four laned, as traffic will be a nightmare. I'd just as soon go to Lowes as get into that mess. But I'm glad for the arrival of all the new businesses nonetheless. More than likely I'll have moved elsewhere by the time all this gets completed (including downtown redevelopment). Florence is a great place to be married and raise a family, but a lousy place to not be married:)

[Mr.Marc]

Florence is a great place to be married and raise a family, but a lousy place to not be married:)

I agree somewhat, but it all depends on the type of person you are. For young people, the city does have easy access to Columbia (via I-20), Myrtle Beach, NC and Savannah.

[krazeeboi]

But I would imagine that most would rather be in those places that they have easy access to. I know people I went to school with who love their hometowns and wouldn't mind moving back (eg, Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg), but I don't really hear that for Florence (or anywhere in the Pee Dee for that matter).

[Spartan]

That is a good point Krazee. I have had similar experiences.

[Miesian Corners]

I recently heard that Starbucks is looking into building on the site of Benton's Restaurant once they move across the street. Interestingly, the Pic & Pay site next door at Five Points was also mentioned as a future potential Starbucks site. My "source" is a prominent Florence realtor who shall remain nameless, though they did not swear me to secrecy. Apparently, Starbucks is examining the Florence market, but have yet to commit. Hopefully, this is more fact than rumor. We'll see.

Benton's is moving? I worked there in college. Had to make Kaluha cake every day. Pain in the butt.

Has anything ever gone into the Carrie Nation's space at the Florence Mall (I worked there too)?

But onto the wish list...if Coastal Carolina can have a football program, why the hell can't FMU?!! Francis Marion needs football.

[flotown]

Benton's is moving? I worked there in college. Had to make Kaluha cake every day. Pain in the butt.

Has anything ever gone into the Carrie Nation's space at the Florence Mall (I worked there too)?

But onto the wish list...if Coastal Carolina can have a football program, why the hell can't FMU?!! Francis Marion needs football.

I believe Stein Mart is where Carrie Nations used to be. Prior to that, McLeod Health and Fitness occupied the spot (before moving right off David McLeod Blvd.).

FMU football would be nice, but where would they play? That dump behind Legion Field isn't even sufficient for high school football, much less college.

It sounds as if you've been gone a long time. Florence has grown a good bit in that time.

[Carolinagirl1063]

Just for informational purposes, I saw a post about Johns Drive In, it has been sold and is in the process of being torn down to make room for a new Piggly Wiggly.

[Carolinagirl1063]

Benton's is moving? I worked there in college. Had to make Kaluha cake every day. Pain in the butt.

Has anything ever gone into the Carrie Nation's space at the Florence Mall (I worked there too)?

But onto the wish list...if Coastal Carolina can have a football program, why the hell can't FMU?!! Francis Marion needs football.

Benton's is up and running in their new location, I had lunch there a couple of weeks ago and it was very nice, more upscale than before but the lunch menu was the same as was the food quality. By the way, I wish I could make that Kaluha cake