Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Enjoyed the pictures, thanks for sharing. It would have been nice had they preserve some of those old stations.
I think had that station survived into the 1990s it may have been preserved been rehabbed much like the old Sumter Telephone aka Moise Building which is now the Clyburn Trans. Ctr, City Hall, and a half dozen other buildings downtown. This Train Station and the old highrise at the corner of Main and Liberty would likely have survived in this era as preservation is now valued in todays Sumter as opposed to pre 1990s
This is what exist today in the footprint of the old station (Walton Countertops) you can still see a remnant of the old platform next to the tracks...
To the west (left) the tracks go to Columbia. To the east (right) the tracks go to Florence. There is a former track just to the east of the Lafayette Street Bridge (ellerbee street) that branches out and intersects the main line around the old Sumter Cabinet (Fulton St). This track goes to Charleston. This connecting track from Ellerbee St to Fulton Street was removed along with the track work to Florence (just beyond 378) decades ago. Back in the day you could have go to Columbia Florence or Charleston from Sumter and points beyond. When the Clyburn Center was built there was interest in adding a platform just across Telephone Street near the current greyhound station for passenger train service should it ever return to Sumter. Passengers for both greyhound bus and train service would use the same waiting room and cross the street to a covered platform when the train was arriving. This addition would also require the reinstitution of the "Ellerbee St "track for trains to move to/from Charleston via Sumter to Columbia. As you can see from the link below. The Charleston to Columbia line actually bypasses the station and runs from Lafayette to S. Harvin.. which is why the Ellerbee to Fulton Street connection is necessary. The competing option was for Amtrak service to go between Charleston to Columbia and points west via Orangeburg.. As of now both proposals are DOA.
That looks really nice, they did a good job on that project and thanks again for sharing. I believe our passenger train days are behind us, I just don't ever see this town going back to that, the interest is just not there or the funding for infrastructure.
The city don't seem to get excited about getting things done, or being innovated or punching above their weight, very much on the reserve side of thing. They will get excited about a few things, but the excitement and enthusiasm soon fizzle out.
That looks really nice, they did a good job on that project and thanks again for sharing. I believe our passenger train days are behind us, I just don't ever see this town going back to that, the interest is just not there or the funding for infrastructure.
The city don't seem to get excited about getting things done, or being innovated or punching above their weight, very much on the reserve side of thing. They will get excited about a few things, but the excitement and enthusiasm soon fizzle out.
Very true...Sumter appears to content with either going it alone or partnering with places like Mayesville or Pinewood who benefit more from associating with Sumter than the other way around. Various "Sumter Columbia" partnerships have emerged but have never really taken off mainly because both cities leaders seem to have contempt for each other rather than an affinity for how to work together. Most politicos I know in Sumter despise Columbia and the Columbia politicos either look down on Sumter or are ambivalent on the City's existence. Its like Sumter wants Columbia to court it as a partner and Columbia want Sumter to kiss its A$$ and the result is what we have now. I get that many of the SC Cities that have "partnerships" are in the same Metro area like Greenville Spartanburg but I wish both Cities/Metros could put their differences aside and have some joint growth summits among both the elected officials and the business community to see what may be possible. I think in the long run it could benefit both communities...
I also think Sumter has an inferiority complex when it compares itself with other Cities in SC of similar size...thus that makes it slightly more conservative when it comes to trying new things.. which on the one hands isnt all bad, but the city should take more calculated risk.
Last edited by Woodlands; 01-10-2022 at 04:54 PM..
Very true...Sumter appears to content with either going it alone or partnering with places like Mayesville or Pinewood who benefit more from associating with Sumter than the other way around. Various "Sumter Columbia" partnerships have emerged but have never really taken off mainly because both cities leaders seem to have contempt for each other rather than an affinity for how to work together. Most politicos I know in Sumter despise Columbia and the Columbia politicos either look down on Sumter or are ambivalent on the City's existence. Its like Sumter wants Columbia to court it as a partner and Columbia want Sumter to kiss its A$$ and the result is what we have now. I get that many of the SC Cities that have "partnerships" are in the same Metro area like Greenville Spartanburg but I wish both Cities/Metros could put their differences aside and have some joint growth summits among both the elected officials and the business community to see what may be possible. I think in the long run it could benefit both communities...
I also think Sumter has an inferiority complex when it compares itself with other Cities in SC of similar size...thus that makes it slightly more conservative when it comes to trying new things.. which on the one hands isnt all bad, but the city should take more calculated risk.
This I most definitely agree with, things around here are more often underwhelming rather overwhelming, and there are examples of this all over town. But, it all goes back to leadership, and the people who are driving the bus.
Seems like all the excitement of the downtown area is gone, the level of enthusiasm isn't there anymore, and no new major project is in the work down there. It's still a pretty busy place, but excitement is not in the air anymore.
This I most definitely agree with, things around here are more often underwhelming rather overwhelming, and there are examples of this all over town. But, it all goes back to leadership, and the people who are driving the bus.
Seems like all the excitement of the downtown area is gone, the level of enthusiasm isn't there anymore, and no new major project is in the work down there. It's still a pretty busy place, but excitement is not in the air anymore.
To that point.. do Sumterites frequent downtown outside of those who work or do business down there? It seems that people seem to gravitate towards Broad Street and the outlying areas and downtown is only favored by folks who work down there, have business (ex courts, hospital, city/county govt etc), or are visiting Sumter and lodge downtown. Then there are the occasional event that may bring locals in as well. I also recall some business leaders that were of the opinion that Sumterites would prefer to go to Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, and even Florence to shop and for entertainment as opposed to supporting those options locally. I wonder if that is true? In fact I have had friends who when asked what they liked about Sumter, aside from the cost of living and the pace, they referenced its proximity to these very same cities.
Florence is a good peer example that may be worth a look. They are working on their third downtown hotel, FMU has increased its presence there, and they are building more residential units (townhomes and apartments) which will certainly add to that base of people who support and frequent downtown.
I think Sumter needs one or two good size market rate apartment buildings to go up downtown. I hope Thompson is listening and gets involved. There are several sites just off Main St that would be good candidates for redevelopment as such and it is called for in the Downtown Master Plan...I guess it depends on what the market can support.
Last edited by Woodlands; 01-11-2022 at 06:59 AM..
To that point.. do Sumterites frequent downtown outside of those who work or do business down there? It seems that people seem to gravitate towards Broad Street and the outlying areas and downtown is only favored by folks who work down there, have business (ex courts, hospital, city/county govt etc), or are visiting Sumter and lodge downtown. Then there are the occasional event that may bring locals in as well. I also recall some business leaders that were of the opinion that Sumterites would prefer to go to Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, and even Florence to shop and for entertainment as opposed to supporting those options locally. I wonder if that is true? In fact I have had friends who when asked what they liked about Sumter, aside from the cost of living and the pace, they referenced its proximity to these very same cities.
.
Sumter Original Brewery attracts patrons from Shaw Air Force Base, who are not wanting to make the drive to Columbia to drink. A good amount of folks that frequent that place on Friday and Saturday are airmen, their friends, and their families. But I do agree, it seems as if things have stalled downtown. The Thompsons were planning on opening up a BBQ place on Liberty St. but since the start of the pandemic that seems to have stalled.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands
Here some cool photos of the Clyburn Center Projects. I believe it won some architectural rehab awards
I really wish they would do the same to the old Sumter Power Plant (then later Sumter Macihinery) which sits at the foot of the Manning Ave. Bridge. The building has tremendous potential, but continues to be a eyesore.
Sumter Original Brewery attracts patrons from Shaw Air Force Base, who are not wanting to make the drive to Columbia to drink. A good amount of folks that frequent that place on Friday and Saturday are airmen, their friends, and their families. But I do agree, it seems as if things have stalled downtown. The Thompsons were planning on opening up a BBQ place on Liberty St. but since the start of the pandemic that seems to have stalled.
I really wish they would do the same to the old Sumter Power Plant (then later Sumter Macihinery) which sits at the foot of the Manning Ave. Bridge. The building has tremendous potential, but continues to be a eyesore.
To that point.. do Sumterites frequent downtown outside of those who work or do business down there? It seems that people seem to gravitate towards Broad Street and the outlying areas and downtown is only favored by folks who work down there, have business (ex courts, hospital, city/county govt etc), or are visiting Sumter and lodge downtown. Then there are the occasional event that may bring locals in as well. I also recall some business leaders that were of the opinion that Sumterites would prefer to go to Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, and even Florence to shop and for entertainment as opposed to supporting those options locally. I wonder if that is true? In fact I have had friends who when asked what they liked about Sumter, aside from the cost of living and the pace, they referenced its proximity to these very same cities.
Florence is a good peer example that may be worth a look. They are working on their third downtown hotel, FMU has increased its presence there, and they are building more residential units (townhomes and apartments) which will certainly add to that base of people who support and frequent downtown.
I think Sumter needs one or two good size market rate apartment buildings to go up downtown. I hope Thompson is listening and gets involved. There are several sites just off Main St that would be good candidates for redevelopment as such and it is called for in the Downtown Master Plan...I guess it depends on what the market can support.
In my opinion, there is still plenty potential left in the downtown area, just need the right folks willing to invest and take the risk. I honestly don't know if it's a good thing for one individual to have a monopoly over that area, in spite of all the positive things, I still don't know how to feel about that one.
People are still going down there, and it's a much different place than it was a few years ago. You have a few eateries, pubs, and the brewery on Main street, so that attracts people down there, and it can be busy at times, especially during the warm months. But there is so much more to be done or can be done, because all you have to do is go the next block or two over in either direction, and you will see what I mean.
You have that vacant old gas station/service station at the corner of Harvin and Liberty, been without a tenant for years now, and that's a prime location in the heart of the downtown area.
Our main post office is a good example of being underwhelming, it's small old and very outdated and looks like it belong in a much smaller city. I know the city don't have direct authority over the post office, but they do have influence and representation in high places.
But, the hardest thing this town have to deal with is, it's image, a never ending battle that we have really made no serious inroads with. And the sad thing is, much of that is coming from the locals as well. It can be moved, but the city and the local chamber just have to put the work in it. You probably will never erase it, especially with some folks, but you can certainly improve on it. Work on that and it will payoff in the long run.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
