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Saw some activity downtown this morning. Work seems to be progressing on the Wells Fargo building. They were replacing all the windows and glass this morning.
Also saw a sign on the vacant building next to Sherwin Williams. Corner of Sumter and Liberty. Some sort of medical office opening soon.
I was going to ask about the dining scene downtown pre COVID... With CCTC, the Hospital and Government Offices all being down there.. it would seem to that more small fast food/lunch type places would find their way down there. I haven't seen many vacancies though which may be part of the problem. One would wonder why someone hasn't built a little strip mall an a vacant lot on the fringe of downtown to attract these types of businesses... As I mentioned before... the City owns most of the open parking lots downtown and vacant land on South Harvin next to the new Water Dept., parking lot behind City Hall, and the one behind J'OGrady. I dont know how full they get especially with the new garage behind the Hyatt.
They should use that to leverage a private developer to come in and build some additional retail spaces downtown to provide more retail/dining options.. Maybe they were considering that but COVID has tripped it up since now people are working/learning remotely thus putting a damper on the amount of foot traffic down there....
Sumter needs more residential development downtown. I know that is part of the "master plan" that was approved last year.. but that seems to be the key to getting a sustained number of small businesses especially restaurants downtown by building up a solid customer base to support these type of small businesses
It still gets pretty busy downtown during the lunch hour in spite of COVID, and I'm actually surprised the number of people I've seen down there in the early evening hours. Those old negative images of what the downtown area was like, is pretty hard to shed till this day. It's not perfect and still much to be down, but nothing like it used to be.
There is still lots of potentials for that area, it's an area starving for more options and things to do. I doubt if anything major will take place down there until we have this virus well under control, so much uncertainty still out there.
There is a empty lot right across from the hospital on Washington street, they tore down the apartments that once stood there years ago. That lot is not being used for anything, not even a parking lot for the hospital. That's a perfect place to build apartments downtown. I'm guessing the hospital may have bought that lot. I would love to know the story behind tearing down those apartments and leaving the lot vacant all these years later.
Saw some activity downtown this morning. Work seems to be progressing on the Wells Fargo building. They were replacing all the windows and glass this morning.
Also saw a sign on the vacant building next to Sherwin Williams. Corner of Sumter and Liberty. Some sort of medical office opening soon.
Yeah, I noticed that also. They been painstakingly working on that build long before COVID was a part our daily vernacular.
I really hope that winds up being the case. I've picked up many an Italian Night Club from the location in Florence or the location near the Target on Garner's Ferry in Columbia on my way back to town from doing whatever; it'd be nice to get a sandwich and not have to wait an hour to eat it.
I'd say "I've heard rumors of it being a Jimmy John's" but my source would be a post in this thread from several months ago.
My source for the Jimmy John's rumor is a family member who will be supplying the produce. I was told probably 2 months ago. I haven't checked back to see if it's still in the works. But I'll try to find out.
It still gets pretty busy downtown during the lunch hour in spite of COVID, and I'm actually surprised the number of people I've seen down there in the early evening hours. Those old negative images of what the downtown area was like, is pretty hard to shed till this day. It's not perfect and still much to be down, but nothing like it used to be.
There is still lots of potentials for that area, it's an area starving for more options and things to do. I doubt if anything major will take place down there until we have this virus well under control, so much uncertainty still out there.
There is a empty lot right across from the hospital on Washington street, they tore down the apartments that once stood there years ago. That lot is not being used for anything, not even a parking lot for the hospital. That's a perfect place to build apartments downtown. I'm guessing the hospital may have bought that lot. I would love to know the story behind tearing down those apartments and leaving the lot vacant all these years later.
I vaguely remember those apartments.. If I recall correctly they were in pretty bad shape but they were "historic" looking I believe with terra cotta tile roofs and stucco exterior?? For some reason I recall that being there but I could be wrong.. They were taken down in the 90s???! If they were there today.. they would likey be a push for them to be preserved.... Just like Sumters only skyscraper that was on the NE Corner of Liberty and Main.. It was a nice looking old building that if it were today would likely be pushed to be preserved and likely some type of residential building.. But it too was taken down in the 70s (?) and was in bad shape as well.
I am not a preservation buff but some old buildings certainly add character to a community especially in a downtown area... I am glad that Thompson Headquarters and the James Clyburn Transportation Center were saved as opposed to being demolished.. Other great examples are of course the Sumter Opera House and the Sumter Bank on Liberty and Main
I vaguely remember those apartments.. If I recall correctly they were in pretty bad shape but they were "historic" looking I believe with terra cotta tile roofs and stucco exterior?? For some reason I recall that being there but I could be wrong.. They were taken down in the 90s???! If they were there today.. they would likey be a push for them to be preserved.... Just like Sumters only skyscraper that was on the NE Corner of Liberty and Main.. It was a nice looking old building that if it were today would likely be pushed to be preserved and likely some type of residential building.. But it too was taken down in the 70s (?) and was in bad shape as well.
I am not a preservation buff but some old buildings certainly add character to a community especially in a downtown area... I am glad that Thompson Headquarters and the James Clyburn Transportation Center were saved as opposed to being demolished.. Other great examples are of course the Sumter Opera House and the Sumter Bank on Liberty and Main
I believe they were called Hampton Street Apartments. I actually loved the look of them, they were very unique to Sumter and had a old world European look about them, I hated to see them torn down. I love a blend of the old and the new, but Sumter over the year have torn down many of it's historical buildings. I love the beautiful old homes in the historic district, I wish we had more area of town that looked like that.
I believe they were called Hampton Street Apartments. I actually loved the look of them, they were very unique to Sumter and had a old world European look about them, I hated to see them torn down. I love a blend of the old and the new, but Sumter over the year have torn down many of it's historical buildings. I love the beautiful old homes in the historic district, I wish we had more area of town that looked like that.
I believe they looked a little like the ones below.. These are in Florence so I wonder if they were built by the same developer
Other buildings that were torn down that pre date most of us are the old Sumter Train Station at the end of Harvin and Telephone Street.. and there was an old hotel that was in the block where the water dept. is.. I have seen post cards of these buildings and they were quite nice..
Here is a photo of the train station when it had seen better days.. what is now the James Clyburn TC is in the background
Other buildings that were torn down that pre date most of us are the old Sumter Train Station at the end of Harvin and Telephone Street.. and there was an old hotel that was in the block where the water dept. is.. I have seen post cards of these buildings and they were quite nice..
Here is a photo of the train station when it had seen better days.. what is now the James Clyburn TC is in the background
Yes they do look similar, but I liked the ones we had in Sumter better. I wished we still had that old station the way it looked in the photo, it would have made a nice little diner, or coffee shop. I been searching for old pictures of the Hampton Street Apartments, but with no luck thus far.
My source for the Jimmy John's rumor is a family member who will be supplying the produce. I was told probably 2 months ago. I haven't checked back to see if it's still in the works. But I'll try to find out.
No problem. Any time that I've mentioned that I heard a Jimmy John's was going there to anyone I have always prefaced it with "So the rumor is..."
I haven't been out in town throwing around "This is what missritz007 said online, so take it up with her if it's wrong" or anything like that, lol.
I've noticed a furniture store is moving into the old Dollar General next to Food Lion on 378. Doesn't have name up yet but inside in being decorated with recliners being set up at the windows
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