Florence is one step closer to taking care of two eyesores in the downtown area.
The city of Florence signed a contract last week with a company to do clean up work at the old Bush Recycling Center at Irby and U.S. 52.
And the former House of Louie Restaurant at Irby and Palmetto streets was demolished.
Both are key intersections in Florence and their appearance in past years have certainly had a negative impact on our city.
The city of Florence has yet to make a decision on what to do with the Bush site, but cleaning it up will be an improvement.
We hope the city will look at a number of options for the property as it continues efforts to improve downtown not just by “planting trees and pretty flowers” but working to make sure what happens is an economic revitalization.
The site of old House of Louie restaurant is currently owned by the Kuker family trust.
Originally, the family home was on the site.
After it was demolished, a Howard Johnson’s hotel was there and later the Coachman restaurant and then the House of Louie.
Florence attorney Ben Zeigler, who represents the Kuker family trust, told the Morning News, “the trust is being very deliberate because it recognizes not only (the property’s) value to the trust ... but also its potential significance to Florence and downtown Florence.”
The location is in the new downtown historic district so we are confident that whatever happens there will be done within those guidelines.
Across the street city officials say they are expecting to approve a demolition permit soon for the Hermitage motel.
There have been some discussions about a Walgreens Drug Store going there with restrictions on design as well.
These are positive signs for downtown as construction on the new Florence Little Theatre nears completion.
And we eagerly await the start of construction on the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center.
We realize the economy makes it more difficult to attract private investors downtown.
But that will change with time. We hope these projects can help jump start things.
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