New construction projects popping up throughout Pee Dee

FLORENCE — New businesses are popping up throughout the Pee Dee every day, it seems.

The arrivals of Heinz, Monster and a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Florence have all been announced, but here are some things that haven’t.

Driving down Hoffmeyer Road, you’ll not only see the signs for the new supercenter, but also a new retail center right next door to West Florence High School called the Village At Windsor.

Todd Walker — president of Walker Industry, the construction company on the project — also is the owner of the retail space.

“It’s a retail shopping center,” he said. “There are seven stores total, including Bravo Event Solutions and Firehouse Subs.”

Walker said the construction slowdown across the nation hasn’t hit Florence, and he said this project should be complete in six weeks.

“The economic hardships had scared some people away, but for the most part, people are continuing on,” he said. “Some other projects we are working on include adding onto the Greek Orthodox church along with CHOiCES Charter School and the (Florence) Boys & Girls Club.”

Radio Drive near Florence Civic Center has changed dramatically during the past few years as many hotels, restaurants and department stores popped up on the scene and the growths seems to continue.

A new AT&T store next door to Chili’s soon will be opening with additional space for another retail area.

There’s also construction going on at the site of another Marriott hotel — Residence Inn — that will be beside Springhill Suites by Marriott.

Go down Radio Drive a bit farther and turn in between the civic center and Regal Cinemas Swamp Fox Stadium 14 and you’ll find another retail development anchored by Jack’s Place restaurant.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in that site because of the location and all the construction going on over there,” said Jack Holt, the owner of both the restaurant and retail space. “There’s potential space for five other businesses beside my restaurant, and so far a coffee shop will be going in there and we are in discussion with another restaurant.”

This will be the third location for Jack’s Place in Florence County. Jack’s Place in Pamplico has been open 10 years, and a second location opened just a few years ago near Carolinas Hospital System in Florence.

Dec. 1 is the expected construction completion date.

Take a drive downtown on Darlington Street, and at the intersection of Darlington and Coit streets, you’ll find the makings of Coit Village Apartments

Landmark Assets and Rehab Builders Inc., both based out of Winston-Salem, N.C., teamed up for this project.

“The project consists of 60 units that are income restricted,” Patrick Reilly, superintendent for the project with Rehab Builders, said. “Essentially, the development company looked at this piece of land and spoke with the city planning about a potential low-income housing solution for the area.”

Reilly said the decision for that location was based on the demographics and the price of land, among other things. He said the AmeriGas building across the street also has been purchased and will be made into a residential community center for the complexes.

Reilly said the apartments should be ready for occupancy toward the end of December.

Other projects in the works include land available with build to suit options at the Enterprise Commercial Park, located on U.S. 52 in Florence County across from Zaxby’s. The realty group on the project is Griggs-Floyd & Grantham Inc. Real Estate Services, and there are 58 acres in what is zoned city land, B-3 commercial.

In neighboring Marion County, an expansion of the Marion Wal-Mart Shopping Center is under way.

“AVTEX Commercial Properties based out of Greenville, S.C., are in charge of the property and their plan all along was that they were going to make it retail shopping,” Frank Jones, Marion County’s acting economic development director, said. “They just needed an anchor, so they waited until they could sign something with Wal-Mart.”

Jones said four or five units are under construction. Molly Chamblee of AVTEX said those would include a Cato’s Women’s Fashion Store, Shoe Show, a cell phone dealer and a Dollar Tree.