Florence Developments

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_0c31edf2-49a4-11e3-80ef-0019bb30f31a.html

 

The city is updating the DT master plan.  Councilman Brand makes reference to more activity expected in the coming months.

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_0a8d874c-4632-11e3-89ee-0019bb30f31a.html

 

More details on the latest two projects which will renovate a total of four buildings on West Evans (100 block).

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_0566b28e-5a1e-11e3-9f52-001a4bcf6878.html

 

Plans are being made to add a couple of parking garages to DT. I wonder what if any, charges there will be for parking there.  The only garages in Florence currently are free (F-D Tech and McLeod).

Edited December 1, 2013 by vicupstate

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_07afa016-8ba4-11e3-a9ce-0017a43b2370.html?mode=image&photo=0

 

Florence City Council looking to annex some doughnut holes.

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_ed5dbb2a-a981-11e3-b295-001a4bcf6878.html

 

In addition to the two new parking garages, there will be $1mm for streetscaping Dargan St. and a possible water feature near the new museum. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/progress_2014/article_3883ec4c-b5fc-11e3-a73a-001a4bcf6878.html

 

Article on the latest on DT.  The Morning News has a dozen plus articles poted on the current economic picture of the city currently as well.

 

The article I posted mentions a potential residential high-rise.   

[krazeeboi]

http://www.scnow.com/news/progress_2014/article_3883ec4c-b5fc-11e3-a73a-001a4bcf6878.html

 

Article on the latest on DT.  The Morning News has a dozen plus articles poted on the current economic picture of the city currently as well.

 

The article I posted mentions a potential residential high-rise.   

 

Exciting! I'm certainly glad this revitalization is taking hold in downtown Florence; it could truly become the jewel of the Pee Dee region.

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/article_551d9756-cb44-11e3-b52e-0017a43b2370.html

 

Another restaurant opens DT.  South Dargan is getting a handful of such places since the revitilization started.

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/article_a066a4fa-dbca-11e3-836f-001a4bcf6878.html

 

Apartments, a restaurant, rooftop bar and micro-distillery  are in the works for this very important project.  Should be a great compliment to Hotel Florence.  

[krazeeboi]

Residential....now we're talking! 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/living/article_03788e10-07c6-11e4-8c60-001a4bcf6878.html

 

Two more storefronts to get rehab treatment.  One on teh 100 block of West Evans and the other on North Dargan.  

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_c4571076-0bbc-11e4-9293-0017a43b2370.html

 

Annexations have picked up in recent months.  A controversial fire district proposaql has the potential to raise taxes on county residents.  This seems to be having some affect, as city residents would avoid that. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_cfd9cbd0-1767-11e4-ab36-001a4bcf6878.html

 

A newly opened restaurant in DT Florence gets a great accolade!   I will have to try this place out. The burgers sound great.

 

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_0d555fce-1768-11e4-80c6-001a4bcf6878.html

 

The new medical building will start construction soon.  There will be a plaza on the corner of Evans and Irby.  There may be an addition later as well. I wonder what will happen to the Old Post Office.  The value of that building will obviously rise dramatically. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_ea687aac-21b5-11e4-8ec8-0017a43b2370.html

 

Plans are moving along for the Evans/Dargan intersection buildings.  Glad to see Hotel Florence is expanding as part of this.  Things are moving along nicely DT. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/politics/article_3cddc15a-3626-11e4-a341-001a4bcf6878.html

 

89 homes in Windsor Forest are seeking annexation.  One other parcel in the same neighborhood should be completed this week.  This should be a sizeable addition to the city's tax base as the average home is probably around $350,000 in value.  The city has made many piecemeal annexations in this neighborhood for over a decade.  Hopefully, even more will follow. 

 

 

Edit:

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_5afb4104-37c9-11e4-89dd-0017a43b2370.html

 

The new Fire Department that serves the western unincorporated parts of the city will see a 4.75 mill tax increase.  This will likely lead to more annexations to the city, which would be exempt from the increase. 

Edited September 9, 2014 by vicupstate

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_ab4ae5b8-4f45-11e4-b994-001a4bcf6878.html

 

More projects in the works for DT Florence. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/article_e86da040-531c-11e4-ae29-001a4bcf6878.html

 

A new Soccer complex with 15 fields going up in West Florence. Tennis and Softball already have similar competition complexes in town.

 

A major jobs project in negotiations as well.  

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/article_08532802-540e-11e4-b65a-001a4bcf6878.html

 

5 years ago I would have never thought things would have changed so much for DT Florence.  Great to see the changes. The new museum is opening soon as well.  

[flotownscot]

Francis Marion University has revealed the renderings for the health science complex being built downtown on the site of the former Trust Building.

 

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_6017388c-5e1b-11e4-a80c-001a4bcf6878.html?fb_action_ids=10152313491300059&fb_action_types=og.comments

[vicupstate]

Not sure if I like the plaza part. It will be useful for festival type events, but it interrupts the storefront continuum that could exist there.   

[flotownscot]

The Plaza isn't my favorite, either, but walk around DT Florence. They LOVE to stick a plaza anywhere they can. I do like what appears to be a water feature at the corner of Irby and Evans, and from the picture it appears the intersection is brick. Not sure if that is part of the plan, or if it was just to make the presentation look better.

[vicupstate]

To be successful, the things around the plaza need to have good interactive with it. The Medical School campus in Greenville is very self-enclosed, so that makes me think this would be too.

 

I'm not sure why the design gives an appearance of it actually being two separate buildings, but I don't think that works real well aesthetically, IMO.  

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_59d4dc30-6ab0-11e4-a0ec-d75613ff6bf3.html

 

Work begins on the newest 'major' project downtown.  Things are rolling along.

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_debfccaa-6ec2-11e4-a7e4-6f95ee59b2c9.html

 

A significant new project has been undercover for awhile but looks to be coming through. 153 high paying jobs that will be located DOWNTOWN.  This is truly a home run. Just a few years ago it would have been unimaginable that an out of town company would open a significant presence DT. 

[vicupstate]

http://www.scnow.com/news/business/article_49b6c2a6-6f91-11e4-8bed-f7989cb2e104.html

 

Of the 153 jobs coming from Med-Enroll, 30 will pay over 100,000.  The average salary is 58,000.  ALSO, there are at least two other major projects in the works that may come to fruition for DT.  Med-Enroll is part of a 'second wave' of redevelopment that will include the Medical SChool, Kress and Royal Knight. The two under the radar project could be announced by year end.

 

I told myself a couple years back that if Florence could turn around it's DT, then no city had a excuse for not doing the same. There had been so many starts and stops, so much destruction of the old buildings, it was so bedeviled by the naysayers, there was no park or river to work with.  Yet, it has truly turned a corner and the path forward is pretty clear at this point.