A Downtown That’s On a Rebound
Published Dec 02, 2008
The Florence Little Theatre’s 35,000-square-foot facility is a shining example of downtown Florence’s revitalization.
Jennifer Wilcox acknowledges that the many initiatives to revitalize the downtown district of Florence over the last half-century have understandably turned some people cynical.
But some new developments coming online, infrastructure upgrades and a cohesive master plan have given downtown Florence positive traction.
“About five years ago, we aligned ourselves with Maryland-based Hunter Interests Inc., which did the downtown redevelopment plan for Greenville, S.C., and are wonderful,” says Wilcox, coordinator for the Florence Downtown Development Corp. “Hunter Interests has developed a downtown master plan for us, and so many things in it are already occurring.”
Wilcox says many of the infrastructure upgrades weren’t readily visible to the public, but residents are now seeing the tangible results of the planning.
The $17.5 million Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation Library opened in a striking 83,000-square-foot building in 2004.
Two other projects about a block away on South Dargan Street will further boost downtown’s profile.
The new Florence Little Theatre project was made possible in part by a $10 million grant from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation. The theater troupe has been around since the 1930s, but had outgrown its old building, so a new facility was constructed downtown.
“In addition, Florence County and McLeod Health donated portions of land they owned in the area for this project, so we now have a beautiful new 400-seat facility. We opened with Jesus Christ Superstar as our first performance downtown in September 2008,” says Susan Schatz, executive director of the Florence Little Theatre.
At Dargan and West Palmetto streets, work is under way on the $10 million Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center, scheduled for completion in 2010.
That project will include a 900-seat auditorium and a 400-seat amphitheater as well as a 9,000-square-foot lobby that can be used to host large receptions.
The performing arts center will include space for theatrical and musical performances, instructional classrooms and office space. The university’s fine-arts program will use the center for performances, programs and art exhibits.
The new cultural centers will mesh with existing venues that already grace the downtown district, including the Florence Museum, outdoor locomotive murals and the War Between the States Museum.
In July 2008, portions of Dargan and West Seventh streets were listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can now be marketed as such, Wilcox says.
The Florence Downtown Development Corp. has also stepped up marketing efforts for all of downtown, a 70-square-block area encompassing some 500 acres in the heart of the city.
“Downtown Florence and all of Florence County are really coming alive these days,” Wilcox says.
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Todd Bennett
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