Sumter Developments

[krispckn]

I just passed through sumter and the amount of growth and new businesses in town is amazing. I was last there in August/September of 06 and it seems like an entire new toen. I think Sumter is finally growing into its own. I think that if the mall were to be redone or updated then SUmter would be a nice regional town for the resdients to visit.

[Spartan]

Any thoughts on downtown? I am of the mindset that if Sumter can turn its downtown into a destination of sorts thats worth spending a day walking around that it would do wonders for that city.

[Captain Worley]

^ I'm not sure how much support that would get. A lot of folks still remember the Main Street Mall as a fiasco in the 70s. I think what you suggest would be good for the town, though.

[Spartan]

What Main St fiasco?

My suggestion is just what I know it would take me to stop in Sumter for more than a bathroom break. I have nothing against the town, but as someone with no family there, and no business interests there, I have little reason to want to stop there and check it out. Maybe there ARE some things worth seeing, but I've never heard of them.

[Captain Worley]

^ Back in the mid seventies, Sumter went with the Main Street Mall concept. Blocked off Main for a few blocks and made it pedestrian only. The Gazebo that's in Swan Lake used to sit smack dab in the middle of Main for a few years.

Anyway, it didn't work out very well. I can't remember when they opened Main back up to traffic. I'll have to ask my wife.

Anyway, I'm not sure what they could do to get tourists off 378. I like their downtown, though. It'd be nice to see something done with it, maybe like Newberr's done.

[Temeteron]

Sumter finally got a Starbucks! whoopty doo! Their mall is a disgrace......and yeah they have alot of restaurants, but they are all chains

[Mr.Marc]

Sumter finally got a Starbucks! whoopty doo! Their mall is a disgrace......and yeah they have alot of restaurants, but they are all chains

Yes Sumter does have a lot of chains. However, if you get off of 76/378/Broad street you will find lots of local restaurants. I myself like Stellato's in Dalzell/Shaw AFB for Italian. Also, I recommend Pizza Lane for pizza. I understand your disdain for chain restaurants but in case you didn't notice the Starbucks you're whoopty dooing about is in fact a CHAIN

[Mr.Marc]

And Sumter Mall can use some work (ok a lot of work) but it isn't the worse of worse. It has served it's purpose since it opened in the early 80s. I'm sick of people not from Sumter complaining about what our mall lacks. HELLO. Don't come to Sumter looking for Saks Fifth Ave or Bergdoff Goodman. The city really isn't all that big and there are lots of cities that are Sumter's size that do not even have a mall. The mall is what it is for right now and unless anyone has the money to buy and renovate it, please send your complaints to the owners of Sumter mall and not Sumter's residents.

[Captain Worley]

Kathy's (I think that's the name) in that strip mall on Guignard near CCTech has some mighty good sandwiches at good pices, too. I ate there a goodly amount when I was teaching over there. You'd think I could remember the name, though...

[Spartan]

^ Back in the mid seventies, Sumter went with the Main Street Mall concept. Blocked off Main for a few blocks and made it pedestrian only. The Gazebo that's in Swan Lake used to sit smack dab in the middle of Main for a few years.

Anyway, it didn't work out very well. I can't remember when they opened Main back up to traffic. I'll have to ask my wife.

Anyway, I'm not sure what they could do to get tourists off 378. I like their downtown, though. It'd be nice to see something done with it, maybe like Newberr's done.

Ah. Enough said. Sumter officials need to come up to Spartanburg. We fell for the same trap and destroyed our Main Street in the process. They should also travel to Florence to see a closer reference of efforts to revitalize a downtown. It starts with public investment. Perhaps a new streetscape or an entertainment venue? I don't know what makes the most sense for Sumter. The goal should not be to get people off of 378, it should be to get people from around Sumter to downtown. If that is successful, the tourists will follow.

[sumter]

Well I am from Sumter,SC the Sumter Mall is pathetic and a joke. Really there is nothing in there,but prehistoric stores that no one cares to shop at. I rather go to Wal-mart.Wal-mart Supercenter is bigger than the Sumter Mall. I am telling you Sumter need to get it together if it want to be like the other SC cities.I can say Sumter's downtown look better than Florence.There is a lot people in the downtown area everyday in Sumter.When I travel to Florence there downtown area looks like a ghosttown.

[sumter]

Good news Sumter's new Intermodal Transportation Center Grand Opening was yesterday. The center will house the SWRTA,Southeastern and Greyhound commercial bus,restaurants,office spaces, etc..... The Center is two stories and about 40000 square feet located on Harvin and Barlette Street.The center is name James E. Clyburn Intermodal Center.The renovation cost about $10 million dollars.This is a nice building and a great location in the downtown area.

[Spartan]

Thats good to hear. It sounds like a quality development for Sumter. Where is it located, and do you have any pictures of it?

[Mr.Marc]

Thats good to hear. It sounds like a quality development for Sumter. Where is it located, and do you have any pictures of it?

It's located on Harvin street which is about 1 block west of Main street. It used to be many things; most recently it was a storage facility which had been abadoned for several years. I may take some pic and post them to this forum.

[btoy]

Well I am from Sumter,SC the Sumter Mall is pathetic and a joke. Really there is nothing in there,but prehistoric stores that no one cares to shop at. I rather go to Wal-mart.Wal-mart Supercenter is bigger than the Sumter Mall. I am telling you Sumter need to get it together if it want to be like the other SC cities.I can say Sumter's downtown look better than Florence.There is a lot people in the downtown area everyday in Sumter.When I travel to Florence there downtown area looks like a ghosttown.

Florence's downtown really does need lots of work to be truly vibrant again, but at least the city has done much of the planning needed to move in the right direction. see http://www.florencedowntown.com/ for more details.

[sumter]

Florence's downtown really does need lots of work to be truly vibrant again, but at least the city has done much of the planning needed to move in the right direction. see http://www.florencedowntown.com/ for more details.

The city of Sumter had purchase 965 acres of land from the county for about $6 million dollars to keep encroachment from being around the Shaw Air Force Base.Which allowing the Base to purchase the land for base expansion.

[sumter]

It is great to be back here on urbanplanet. I just want to share some information on Sumter SC developlments that is taking place in the city and county.The city and county are using some of it's money from the penny sales taxes to boost urban development in and outside of the area.There are 16 major developments that are taking place here in Sumter SC here is the website that you can visit on www.sumtercountysc.org/p4p/ then click on Penny for Progress.There you will click on projects and it will show you everything the City of Sumter SC is trying to do.This is a major step for Sumter and Its downtown area.The largest develpoment for the downtown area is the $20 million dollar price tag for Sumter County Judicial Center.The

[sumter]

The judicial Center is going to be 80,000 sq.ft and 4 story building.

[Spartan]

Unpinning this topic. No activity in 2 years...

[I Miss Columbia]

There's talk of Target coming to Sumter!  Has anyone else heard this?    Also, I've heard that Lizard's Thicket out of Columbia is going to build on a prime corner on Broad and Wesmark Blvd.  Sumter now has a Pita Pit, which opened June 16th.