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Wow.. I have not been tracking Rock Hill.. Didn't realize that they were in the 70k range.. That is HUGE by SC standards..To your point.. I think its about ego.. Sumter (politicos and chamber of commerce business leaders and the like) know that it is the "big fish" in the little pond when compared to those other cities (towns) that you listed. I have met people from Bishopville and Manning.. that walk through Sumter as if they are strolling through Times Square in NYC marveling at the sights..(ok I am exaggerating a little) but you get my point.. I don't think anyone from Florence, Rock Hill et al would do the same so to speak.. So, I think Sumter is comfortable in this group/class of cities... People often move from these towns or cities to Sumter.. while people from Sumter often move away all together to other major cities in the state and beyond...
True story.. I was sitting in a meeting and there was a discussion about height downtown when Tuomey was building its new parking garage..People were worried about the "alley" that it would create behind the buildings on main st and that it was too tall. " We don't want to be NYC!!!" said some denizen. I found that when somebody in Sumter didn't want something to happen.. comparing it to NYC would be the icing on the cake and send shivers of fear down people's spines....Even I nod to Columbia would wrinkle noses.. but NYC was the devil himself (or herself)
Rock Hill benefits from being so close to Charlotte, and a part of the Charlotte metro area. As that metro area continues to grow , so will Rock Hill. Many people from the surrounding smaller town work and shop in Sumter. I have lots of coworkers from Manning and Bishopville, and most of them know Sumter better than I do. Also, many of them, especially from Manning have moved to Sumter over the years. I have five coworkers that have moved to Sumter over the last few years from Manning, and a few from Lynchburg.
I hardly ever go to these surrounding small towns, Sumter is about as small as I can stand it. My circle is pretty much Columbia, Charleston, and Florence here in the state, and then Charlotte.
Did Crosswell neighborhood suffer from major damaged during the flooding a few years ago? I know that area historically flooded and is low lying.. But, I saw on the City of Sumter's web page a FEMA report along with a proposal to install new drainage lines along some streets. I did a google street view and some of properties in that area look severely damaged and abandon> I recognize that Google Street is a few years old.. but I cant imagine that anyone would rebuild on a site that was damaged in a flood.. When I was in sumter years ago.> Crosswell was at a "cross" roads. It seems that the southern portion of the neighborhood was becoming more blighted especially below Loring Drive.. Don't know if things have changed or improved.
Many of Sumter's neighborhoods in the east and south side of town were built on the cheap... roads with poor drainage and lots developed without drainage as well.. An engineer told me that many of the streets in the east and south side of town are just waiting for a flood and because of the poor draining and lack of curbs would dump water into peoples yards.. Many of the streets are flat as pancakes and dont have "crown" in the center because there are no curbs and thus water sits on the streets making ponds.. when it does run off it goes into peoples yards....The fact that many of these homes are on slabs didn't bode well in a heavy rain storm.
Did Crosswell neighborhood suffer from major damaged during the flooding a few years ago? I know that area historically flooded and is low lying.. But, I saw on the City of Sumter's web page a FEMA report along with a proposal to install new drainage lines along some streets. I did a google street view and some of properties in that area look severely damaged and abandon> I recognize that Google Street is a few years old.. but I cant imagine that anyone would rebuild on a site that was damaged in a flood.. When I was in sumter years ago.> Crosswell was at a "cross" roads. It seems that the southern portion of the neighborhood was becoming more blighted especially below Loring Drive.. Don't know if things have changed or improved.
Many of Sumter's neighborhoods in the east and south side of town were built on the cheap... roads with poor drainage and lots developed without drainage as well.. An engineer told me that many of the streets in the east and south side of town are just waiting for a flood and because of the poor draining and lack of curbs would dump water into peoples yards.. Many of the streets are flat as pancakes and dont have "crown" in the center because there are no curbs and thus water sits on the streets making ponds.. when it does run off it goes into peoples yards....The fact that many of these homes are on slabs didn't bode well in a heavy rain storm.
Much of it was flooded, and much of it is slowly going down the tube.
Much of it was flooded, and much of it is slowly going down the tube.
WOW.. you can almost draw a line through Sumter roughly along Guignard Drive.. everything to the east of it appears challenged with the exception of a few areas like Hampton Park, Anne Park and Downtown. Considering that the area I am referencing is half of the City may be a reason for some concern. ... It also may explain why the city is rapidly expanding westward and is growing very little to the east in terms of development and annexation,.
Historically< I have wondered why the City went west rather than east? Proximity to Shaw or Proximity to Columbia for commuting...Maybe ? Others have proffered influential developers owned land that way... along with the fact that the former Sumter School District #17 was the "donut hole" surrounded by Sumter School District #2 before consolidation. Many people tended to favor 17 over 2 and most of the developable land for new subdivisions was in the western portion of the donut hole..thus the heart of what is the more stable sections of the City radiating out from Wise and Alice Drive....maybe its a combination of all of these items.....Back in the 90s some folks I knew used to joke that Downtown Sumter was along Bultman Drive.. I think that has changed somewhat with the recent gains downtown
Last edited by Woodlands; 12-29-2017 at 01:18 PM..
Looks like John Harris body shop is building a stand alone location on broad at the mobile home brokers site, The new REMAX building is coming along fast.
Looks like John Harris body shop is building a stand alone location on broad at the mobile home brokers site, The new REMAX building is coming along fast.
A small stand alone building is going up in Palmetto Plaza on the spot of the old Texaco station. Very small. Not sure what it could be.
Lots of activity downtown. New hotel to be open in March. I hear a pizzeria/microbrewery is in the works. The new Hampton’s with its huge outdoor pavilion is almost ready to open. Another bakery coming as well.
A small stand alone building is going up in Palmetto Plaza on the spot of the old Texaco station. Very small. Not sure what it could be.
Lots of activity downtown. New hotel to be open in March. I hear a pizzeria/microbrewery is in the works. The new Hampton’s with its huge outdoor pavilion is almost ready to open. Another bakery coming as well.
Yeah some good stuff going on. The Downtown Director said that there are other projects in the works can't wait t see what 2018 brings
Has anyone heard anymore about this project... the Garland Center? If it was approved by City Council.. then why wasn't it on the front page of The Item...unless I missed it. Again... 70 units and 7,000sq ft of ground floor retail across from Morris College? Seems newsworthy to me......Its item#6 in the link
Any news on this development for North Main and the Garland Center? Nice project for Sumter but bad location, IMO.
I haven heard a peep. I wonder if he did what many developers do which is to get all the "entitlements" aka approvals from the city then flip it to someone else In this case maybe one of these national companies that were drawn to the Midland by the boom of student housing in Columbia ? I have heard some are now looking at downtown Florence so Sumter wouldn't be out of the question. The location could be challenging unless you are a student at Morris College. South Harvin St across from CCTC would be better.
The developer could also flip it to one of the half a dozen or so apartment builders that have been building apartments in the city. Some are subsidized and there are plenty of "tax credit" deals to be made now that I believe the Presidents Tax Plan didn't zero them out
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