Any ideas on Florence Downtown Redevelopment (Columbia, Lane: for sale, hotels, theater)
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I understand what you're saying. You're not comparing to Columbia and Charleston, but asking for ways in which to follow in their successes. It makes sense. Since no one from Columbia or Charleston has offered help, I'll offer some from Greenville.
Public-private partnership in Greenville has constantly pushed the edges of downtown's activity further. Another HUGE aspect for Greenville is the pedestrian. Sidewalks, retail/restaurant space at street level, and public art all engage and encourage people to walk. Free parking is an important aspect, too. Additionally, well organized public events help.
And, just to emphasize, we're not talking about comparing Greenville and Florence. However, these building blocks that I've mentioned are things that can be implemented at a ANY scale in ANY city as the foundations for a successful urban environment. Just some ideas that have a proven track record when done correctly...
PS- you should come check out Greenville's downtown. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you gvillesc, thats all I was asking. I already had heated discussions with some people on this forum bashing Florence. Also, I just been to Greenville's downtown recently and it is very impressive, I do admit that. I really liked the bridge that looks over the little river, pretty nice.
Why do Florence want to be like a town that is over three hours where they got Charleston and Columbia to use as a model? Columbia has an awesome downtown area as well as the good area of downtown Charleston. I really like the fact that FMU is building a Cultural Arts center in the heart of downtown Florence so that Pee Dee locals do not have to drive an hour or two to culture events.
As for something I'd like to see downtown (other than all the filth cleaned up) is a ballpark built there to replace Legion Field. That won't happen until Florence can land a single A team, and that probably won't happen until Florence shows that it can support any professional team. The Pride did well in their early years 1997-2001, but faltered after the novelty wore off. The same happened to the Blue Jays in the early/mid 80's, but Legion Field was a dump even back then. I've heard others bring it up before, with the site at the old junkyard at Lucas & Irby, or at the old McLoed hospital site, though parking would be a problem. A brew pub, a few restaurants and some shops with a ballpark nearby would make downtown a destination again, though at this point that is just a pipedream. Currently, the Red Wolves draw fairly well for being just a semi-pro team playing in a run down park out past the airport.
The library and theatre are great, but they do not generate any foot traffic, since there is nothing around them. The verdict is out on the PAC's ability to spur real downtown growth. I fear it may become like every other destination in Florence: Get out of car and walk straight in. See show, then walk straight out, get in car and go home.
As for something I'd like to see downtown (other than all the filth cleaned up) is a ballpark built there to replace Legion Field. That won't happen until Florence can land a single A team, and that probably won't happen until Florence shows that it can support any professional team. The Pride did well in their early years 1997-2001, but faltered after the novelty wore off. The same happened to the Blue Jays in the early/mid 80's, but Legion Field was a dump even back then. I've heard others bring it up before, with the site at the old junkyard at Lucas & Irby, or at the old McLoed hospital site, though parking would be a problem. A brew pub, a few restaurants and some shops with a ballpark nearby would make downtown a destination again, though at this point that is just a pipedream. Currently, the Red Wolves draw fairly well for being just a semi-pro team playing in a run down park out past the airport.
The library and theatre are great, but they do not generate any foot traffic, since there is nothing around them. The verdict is out on the PAC's ability to spur real downtown growth. I fear it may become like every other destination in Florence: Get out of car and walk straight in. See show, then walk straight out, get in car and go home.
Those are some good observations.. Again, could FMU have partnered with the City and the Red Wolves to build a stadium downtown as opposed to the current site next to the campus? Obviously the site next to the campus is ideal because its next to the campus and owned by the school. The logistics of playing downtown 7 to 8 miles from your campus could be problematic.. but here again.. what the VISION for the ENTIRE community which includes FMU. Things like the brew pubs and a small entertainment district could have blossomed on the north end of downtown where the old junk yard is if it were converted to a ball park....I would have sought to turned the site of the current FMU sports complex into a business incubator or a small business park to grow small businesses ....possibly future apartments, single family homes, retail strip.. and maybe a small hotel.....here again.. this is where both the City and the County could have stepped in to discuss with the school a more comprehensive plan for the site, the school and its impact on the region
I am very opinionated when it comes to development. Is it just me or is Florence obsessed with making David McLeod Blvd the new downtown?? Enough is enough. It's nice we have new shopping coming in but it is way too clustered over there and not enough roads to handle traffic.
I would say build some brownstone type homes downtown but they have to change the situation before anything like that can happen. I guess they need more police force patrolling those areas. We need a new City/County Complex....with a parking deck! You know, I always say figure out what the central intersection in a city is, and what does it look like. I'd say Palmetto and Irby is pretty much our major crossroads. So what does it look like? Better now that the roach motel of a chinese restaurant is gone. I say they need to build a new city complex at that intersection, with a parking deck where the restaurant was, and have a skywalk connecting the two.
Build a new Greyhound Station somewhere more visible. Make it bigger and have some restaurant/shops in conjunction with that.
Build some hotels downtown, or even near the airport...that area is in grave need of development. City complex shouldnt be the only tall building. Hell, any kind of office building.
I actually think that section of Church St. that is divided needs to be devoted to tall office buildings, to tie in with the new library and future development.
And back to the airport, why not clear out some of those abandoned mobile home dealer lots, get some of that land to build a new shopping center with restaurants.
I am very opinionated when it comes to development. Is it just me or is Florence obsessed with making David McLeod Blvd the new downtown?? Enough is enough. It's nice we have new shopping coming in but it is way too clustered over there and not enough roads to handle traffic.
I would say build some brownstone type homes downtown but they have to change the situation before anything like that can happen. I guess they need more police force patrolling those areas. We need a new City/County Complex....with a parking deck! You know, I always say figure out what the central intersection in a city is, and what does it look like. I'd say Palmetto and Irby is pretty much our major crossroads. So what does it look like? Better now that the roach motel of a chinese restaurant is gone. I say they need to build a new city complex at that intersection, with a parking deck where the restaurant was, and have a skywalk connecting the two.
Build a new Greyhound Station somewhere more visible. Make it bigger and have some restaurant/shops in conjunction with that.
Build some hotels downtown, or even near the airport...that area is in grave need of development. City complex shouldnt be the only tall building. Hell, any kind of office building.
I actually think that section of Church St. that is divided needs to be devoted to tall office buildings, to tie in with the new library and future development.
And back to the airport, why not clear out some of those abandoned mobile home dealer lots, get some of that land to build a new shopping center with restaurants.
I could go on and on.......
Some good observations... Time will tell with Downtown Florence. I think some good plans are in place.. the implementation will determine how successful it will be. It certainly has some good "bones" and your point in upgrading the City County Complex is dead on.. If Government wants people to invest in the downtown area.. they need to lead by example. To their credit they are in some regards with the Fine Arts Center and the Library.. but the City-County building would be an added improvement as well. I mainly referring to modernizing and/or making better use of the surface parking lot. The lot is ripe for some for of redevelopment and the parking could be consolidated into a garage either on site or in one of the rear blocks on one of the less attractive or traveled blocks.
On the point about the Greyhound Bus Station.. for the life of me.. I dont understand why its not co located with the Amtrak Station behind McCleod. That would benefit both Greyhound and Amtrak.. If I were going to Myrtle Beach (let assume from the NE by train) you could get off in Florence and take Greyhound to Myrtle Beach. Amtrak and Greyhound have "partnerships" in other communities. I think PDRTA currently provides that service but it doesnt have the national recognition as a Greyhound and their coaches may not be as comfortable. Secondly, PDRTA should coordinate with the rental car agencies at the Florence Airport and provide a shuttle to and from the Airport that correspond to the train arrivals and departures (with the exception being maybe the 3am Silver Meteor) That would/could encourage people who may be coming into Florence to hop on it to go over to the airport and rent cars for the convenience to travel to local/regional destinations. This should be publicized (thru Amtrak, Avis et al) so that as people are making their reservations they are aware that this option is available in advance as opposed to simply discovering it when they arrive. The same should be true of the Greyhound connection to Myrtle Beach.
Its funny you mentioned the amtrak station because I just drove around over there the other weekend. Forgot how nice it looks back there. Yeah...I dont know what they can really do to get downtown moving. It takes the people to make it happen. I wish more would give feedback. You would think it's be as easy as just building a popular chain restaurant downtown, or fancier fast food joints like they do in other cities like columbia, in other words out something popular that would draw good crowds. Another thing that is a neat idea, something that Raleigh has done...and I know we're not that major...but to put the local news station in the downtown, right on the street, like the big cities do. something to think about. And i dont know why they had to build that new Golden Corral at David McLeod. Uhhh. I thought they should have put a road thru there, extend S Parker Dr right up to that intersection of the mall. oh well too late. we need another way to get thru other than radio dr/ebenezer...and that road at the fitness center. bentree lane i think. sometimes i think they really dont care what they are doing. funny fact...i went to the dot website, you can look up how they are using stimulus funds. how strange they are using funds to build sidewalks over by the new walmart! beltline dr is at the walmart right? hmmm. not too hard to figure out.
Its funny you mentioned the amtrak station because I just drove around over there the other weekend. Forgot how nice it looks back there. Yeah...I dont know what they can really do to get downtown moving. It takes the people to make it happen. I wish more would give feedback. You would think it's be as easy as just building a popular chain restaurant downtown, or fancier fast food joints like they do in other cities like columbia, in other words out something popular that would draw good crowds. Another thing that is a neat idea, something that Raleigh has done...and I know we're not that major...but to put the local news station in the downtown, right on the street, like the big cities do. something to think about. And i dont know why they had to build that new Golden Corral at David McLeod. Uhhh. I thought they should have put a road thru there, extend S Parker Dr right up to that intersection of the mall. oh well too late. we need another way to get thru other than radio dr/ebenezer...and that road at the fitness center. bentree lane i think. sometimes i think they really dont care what they are doing. funny fact...i went to the dot website, you can look up how they are using stimulus funds. how strange they are using funds to build sidewalks over by the new walmart! beltline dr is at the walmart right? hmmm. not too hard to figure out.
Really??? Do people walk to Wal Mart??? That seems like a waste of the funds...but maybe they are trying to make the general area more pedestrian friendly I know people hate to hear this but it was a mistake building the Civic Center out by I-20. Not only because of the fact that it took away some of the synergy that could have been used to boost downtown.. it also took away valuable taxable real estate. Granted one could argue that the hotels and stores may not be out there if it wasnt for the Civic Center but the mere existing of the Interstate would make that debatable. Downtown on the other has/had a low value property and is still struggling to increase the tax base..The tax base would have gone up with the arrival of the Civic Center.. Dave McCleod would have grow regardless. Imagine the "cultural center" could have been developed with the theatre, performing arts center, library, and the civic center downtown.. I think downtown would be a totally different place today
The sidewalk on Beltline Drive by the Walmart is part of the walking trail (rail trail) that starts at the intersection of Ebenezer Rd. and Pineneedles Road, goes by the McLeod Fitness Center, under David McLeod Blvd, comes out at Lowe's, goes down Beltline Dr., and ends at Hoffmeyer Road. The stimulus funds are used to make the Beltline Dr. sidewalk wheelchair accessible by replacing the curbing with ADA ramps.
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Very Good Topic
Sounds good too
I know people hate to hear this but it was a mistake building the Civic Center out by I-20. Not only because of the fact that it took away some of the synergy that could have been used to boost downtown.. it also took away valuable taxable real estate. Granted one could argue that the hotels and stores may not be out there if it wasnt for the Civic Center but the mere existing of the Interstate would make that debatable. Downtown on the other has/had a low value property and is still struggling to increase the tax base..The tax base would have gone up with the arrival of the Civic Center.. Dave McCleod would have grow regardless. Imagine the "cultural center" could have been developed with the theatre, performing arts center, library, and the civic center downtown.. I think downtown would be a totally different place today 
