Florence Developments

[flotown]

The Bruce& Lee Foundation are to be applauded, they really put their money where their mouths (& hearts?) are. But it's a waste of money. The new library is an ugly monstrosity, for that kind of money they could have hired a great architect and had something really special. A performing arts center? Why? FMU already has one, and Florence has a new auditorium or something similar. Nothing is going to save Florence, destined for a slow, abysmal decline into the third world.. A better investment would be to fund emerging technologies at FMU and Tech. Perhaps a nanotech assembly lab at FMU, or advanced fabrication techniques at Tech....or just give the money to me.

I'm going to have to disagree on a few points. First the library an ugly monstrosity? Are we looking at the same building. It is one of the nicest buildings in the state. In fact, it is almost TOO nice, or out of scale with it's abysmal surroundings, but hopefully that will change. I do sympathize with those who argue that they could have downsized the building and added more books/video content, though.

As for the FMU performing arts center....who the hell wants to drive all the way out to Mars Bluff for anything. An FMU presence in downtown is long overdue. The whole FMU campus should have been built downtown to begin with. Yea, tuitions would be a good bit higher, and there would be less land to expand, but Florence would be a totally different city than it is today. But they took the damn free land. Both the campus and the city have been the worse for it.

I don't think Florence is necessarily destined to an "abysmal decline". If city leaders put some pressure on the land owners to clean up their properties or be fined to the hemisphere (Evans St., Dargan St etc.), things will change. The racial politics involved in cleaning up the entire downtown mess is another story, however.

Edited February 20, 2006 by flotown

[flotown]

This is a test video of construction on Florence's new tallest building. Video shot 2/21/06. Click the link below.

McLeod Construction

[Charleston native]

This is a test video of construction on Florence's new tallest building. Video shot 2/21/06. Click the link below.

McLeod Construction

Truly, a magnificent addition to Florence's skyline. Something that this Charlestonian wished his hometown had!

[RealCap]

Here are recent aerial photos of the Home Depot retail project and the Holiday Inn Express under construction in Florence on W. Radio Drive near Magnolia Mall.

The Home Depot has been announced to open by July 1, 2006, along with an Olive Garden.

[goodbye]

Welcome to UP, Real Cap! Thank you for the nice aerial shots. Hope you keep contributing in the future!

[RealCap]

Welcome to UP, Real Cap! Thank you for the nice aerial shots. Hope you keep contributing in the future!

Skyliner, Thanks, I enjoy and benefit from this forum. I look forward to contributing when I have the opportunity. Florence is a great community (I'm not from there) and has an amazing future!

[vicupstate]

Two "Junior anchors" to be added to Magnolia Mall

This is pretty significant news considering that enclosed malls are losing ground nationwide. I don't know the present size of the mall, but 70,000 sq. ft. is a nice little addition.

The Plaza across from the mall is progressing as well.

[Jerseyman4]

Reading through 13 pages of posts (started back in 2004),

Its always highways with me but I-95 and I-20 meet near downtown Florence so it puts the city on the map to begin with to attract industry and distribution centers (like the part with QVC). Theres no telling of what Florence's future will be, kinda hard to say but i think its more likely it will be seeing more good times than bad as its low cost of living is the areas strong point to luring new development. Although if I-73 came a little closer to Florence, that would REALLY put Florence on the map!

[krazeeboi]

Florence really isn't as destitute a place as many make it out to be. I'm not sure if any one thing will become the catalyst into making it something bigger, but the potential is certainly there.

[Charleston native]

What Florence needs is a major employer to locate there. We've debated the I-73 situation before, and the interstate itself will bring some economic growth, but not a boom. Florence is probably going to become the gateway to Myrtle Beach with I-73 completed. That said, maybe the city can use this to its advantage. Florence could promote itself as the business hub of the Pee Dee region, making MB become the playground of Florence citizens!

[gamecockgop2004]

Hello my fellow Florentines. I am myself from Florence, just living the columbia, working in politics. This developement by the Drs. Bruce and Lee foundation could be the catalyst that the downtown area needs. We have the new library, performing arts center, florence little theatre-and some addition development plans that will increase the traffic in this area.

We have seen "downtown redevelopment" in every town across the country, and most of the time it doesn't end up benefiting the community as originally thought. The foundation seems to have a real sense of the future-bringing traffic into this area (that's what it needs). The fact of the matter is that development down East Cheves needs a real area leader, because if we are waiting for an Outback or other national chain restaurant/store to come in to boost the traffic, we are wasting our time.

As with the previous post of having a major employer in the area -we have many (McLeod, Honda, Roche Carolina, Smurfit-Stone, ESAB, and now QVC).

I think that the "Celebration Centre" (area between cashua drive and west palmetto) project that is slow to get off the ground, could end up being a great addition for locals, if planned and developed the right way. Here's a link to an idea that would be neat to have.

http://www.tilt-up.org/awards/2000/pleasant.htm

[Charleston native]

Hi gamecock, welcome to UP! I understand and agree with your statements about Florence's situation. The city does have great employers, and it has tremendous potential to be the ultimate SC gateway city for travelers on I-95. What I was suggesting though implied that Florence needs more major employers. One great example would be biotech companies. Because Florence is the Pee Dee's medical hub, it could also be a center for biomedical research, maybe in association with my hometown's efforts to create a biotech industry cluster.

I've been greatly frustrated with the procrastination of building Celebration Centre! The land for it has been cleared and has stayed that way for at least 2 years!! Why hasn't construction started on the development? What have been the major hold-ups for this retail center?

[flotown]

I had a day off and had to run to the mall, so I grabbed by camera and took a few videos of the I-20 Spur area (from my car, as you can see).

To the right is the recently completed Hilton Garden Inn. At 8 floors, easily the tallest building on the west side of town.

The Marriott Spring Hill Suites straight ahead and the Hilton to the right.

The Civic Center is to the left, and straight ahead is the beginning construction of the Home Depot/Olive Garden etc. on Radio Dr. The GE building is in the distance. BTW, the noise is by arm rubbing against the leather seat, not a whoopee cushion.

I'll post more vids as I get time. On this site, vids become inactive if not viewed at least once in 3 months, so by all means look at them to keep them active!

Edited March 10, 2006 by flotown

[krazeeboi]

Thanks for sharing.

[mcashlv]

I'm going to have to disagree on a few points. First the library an ugly monstrosity? Are we looking at the same building. It is one of the nicest buildings in the state. In fact, it is almost TOO nice, or out of scale with it's abysmal surroundings, but hopefully that will change. I do sympathize with those who argue that they could have downsized the building and added more books/video content, though.

As for the FMU performing arts center....who the hell wants to drive all the way out to Mars Bluff for anything. An FMU presence in downtown is long overdue. The whole FMU campus should have been built downtown to begin with. Yea, tuitions would be a good bit higher, and there would be less land to expand, but Florence would be a totally different city than it is today. But they took the damn free land. Both the campus and the city have been the worse for it.

I don't think Florence is necessarily destined to an "abysmal decline". If city leaders put some pressure on the land owners to clean up their properties or be fined to the hemisphere (Evans St., Dargan St etc.), things will change. The racial politics involved in cleaning up the entire downtown mess is another story, however.

[mcashlv]

I'm going to have to disagree on a few points. First the library an ugly monstrosity? Are we looking at the same building. It is one of the nicest buildings in the state. In fact, it is almost TOO nice, or out of scale with it's abysmal surroundings, but hopefully that will change. I do sympathize with those who argue that they could have downsized the building and added more books/video content, though.

As for the FMU performing arts center....who the hell wants to drive all the way out to Mars Bluff for anything. An FMU presence in downtown is long overdue. The whole FMU campus should have been built downtown to begin with. Yea, tuitions would be a good bit higher, and there would be less land to expand, but Florence would be a totally different city than it is today. But they took the damn free land. Both the campus and the city have been the worse for it.

I don't think Florence is necessarily destined to an "abysmal decline". If city leaders put some pressure on the land owners to clean up their properties or be fined to the hemisphere (Evans St., Dargan St etc.), things will change. The racial politics involved in cleaning up the entire downtown mess is another story, however.

Most of the population of Florence County is semi-literate, at best. A building full of books is not high on their list of attractions (unless they have free video games). It looks like a building from the 19th century, not the 21st. If I were the architect, I'd be embarrassed. More re-hashed Greco-Roman cliches, totally unoriginal. An aged Southerner's idea of "good taste", reflecting a wistful nostalgia for a bygone era. Not that that's a bad thing, but if that's the best they can do, it doesn't bode well for the future of the city. Would be more beneficial for the community to scatter the money over Florence from an airplane.

[Spartan]

I disagree. I think that buildings of this type look good. Civic buildings should be something that a community can be proud of. This building looks great. Plus, Im not sure if you've been to Florence lately, but anything it can do to boost itself up would be beneficial to the city. My only problem with this building is that it is not built to the street. Nobody is going to walk that path.

[mcashlv]

I can understand how a lot of people might like this building--expensive materials, symmetrical, grand, etc. Good intentions. My first impression was that looked like a mausoleum, which in a metaphorical sense it is. A funeral monument to the lost opportunities for the future of Florence. It might have worked had it been tried in the '50s or '60's. Now it's too late. Am I negative towards the Magic City? No, I don't care that much. The Florence leadership class appear determined to go backwards to a mythological golden age, which probably never really existed, instead of trying to tackle the future, with the inherent risk of failure. For $40 million dollars they could have hired one of the world's best architects and gotten a building that would have received some international trade press, and good PR for the dying little town. I know it's easy to criticise. Could I have done better? Yes.

[goodbye]

Interesting opinion. I disagree 100%. If Florence is retreating to the "mythological golden age," maybe they'll discover similar success as Greenville has since its fairly-recent resurrection. I recall several of the most recognized projects being renovations and revitalizations of old buildings, plazas, and neighborhoods - a glimpse into the past as a doorway to the future.

[GamecockEngineer]

a glimpse into the past as a doorway to the future.

Skyliner, thats a great quote!

[mcashlv]

Interesting opinion. I disagree 100%. If Florence is retreating to the "mythological golden age," maybe they'll discover similar success as Greenville has since its fairly-recent resurrection. I recall several of the most recognized projects being renovations and revitalizations of old buildings, plazas, and neighborhoods - a glimpse into the past as a doorway to the future.

Poor analogy. Greenville and Florence have little in common. No one is talking about restoring historic buildings, which I wholeheartedly support. I didn't say "Florence is retreating into the mythological golden age", only that the leadership class seem to be. Florence and the Pee Dee region is facing economic decline, for a variety of reasons.

[krazeeboi]

So mcashlv, what can Florence do to change that?

[mcashlv]

So mcashlv, what can Florence do to change that?

They face an impossible challenge. Similar to many small Southern towns, the best, brightest, and most ambitious young people are forced to leave, simply to make a living. This is what really kills these places. FMU, being remotely located in the countryside, on the "wrong" side of town, is disconnected from the rest of the city. There are no attendent businesses such as bookstores, cafes, retailers, etc. that one finds in every other college town. No definable college "district". Only a convenience store, trailer parks, and some sub-standard slum apartments that would have been condemned and demolished long ago in any other city. Add to this a huge (and growing) unassimilable welfare population, and you have a recipe for inevitable decline.

[krazeeboi]

^So in other words, Florence is doomed? I don't think so.

[Charleston native]

Florence is in a better position than you think, it just needs to act on it quickly. First FMU is not as distant as it is perceived, and the city is already starting to find ways to revitalize DT and extend its limits toward the college. The McLeod Center has completed adding to its hospital tower, and there has been talk of extending its developments eastward to help link FMU to central Florence.

US 76 is one of the primary routes to Myrtle Beach, and there have been talks of property purchases in and around the airport for hotels and condos. Yes, this is speculative, but the city has great potential to help bring FMU into the city and develop the synergy we have talked about.