Residents give input on Florence museum

FLORENCE — About 50 residents gathered Wednesday to give their input and suggestions to the team of architects that will design the new Florence Museum of Art, Science and History.

Scott Newman, a partner in Cooper, Robertson and Partners of New York, said the architectural team officially began work on the project Tuesday morning and has many elements to consider in the design of the new museum.

“This is a project about culture and preserving culture. It’s about education, and it’s about downtown revitalization. To bring all these things together in one project is a very big opportunity,” Newman said. “We haven’t started to design anything yet. The information we gather here will be the manual or road map that will tell the architects what they need to design to and what should happen here.”

Newman’s firm will work with architects from Watson Tate Savory of Columbia on the new 30,000 square-foot museum, which will be located on the site of the old Florence Infirmary at Dargan and Cheves streets.

Architects will take several factors into consideration in their design including education, visitor experience, collections display, collections storage and care and technical requirements.

“We also want to think about the neighborhood as well,” Newman said. “The museum is on the cusp of the arts district and the historic downtown district and we want to take both neighborhoods into consideration. The design will have respect for the scale and character of the area. We want to design a building that feels right for Florence.”

The county is spending about $4 million on the new $11.7 million museum, the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation is making a $3.9 million grant toward the museum and the state is providing an additional $3.9 million.

After Newman’s presentation, several residents voiced support and gave suggestions on the design of the new facility.

Liz Andrews, a resident of Florence for 33 years, said she is excited about the museum and hopes it will enhance downtown revitalization. She said she hopes it will bridge the gap between the arts district and downtown.

“I lean toward classical architecture because it’s timeless,” Andrews said. “But I really just hope we will not have a hodgepodge of architecture. We don’t want another city-county complex. We want to have a building design we’re proud of in 50 years.”

Others who attended the meeting echoed Andrews’ sentiments.

“You are part of the historic district,” Agnes Willcox said, “and the need to blend with that is critical.”

Several downtown merchants attended the meeting and voiced hope that the new museum will be a gateway that brings people back into the downtown area.

Douglas Hawkins, a representative of the Florence Downtown Merchants Association, said the need for parking downtown is crucial.

“We’re glad the museum is coming downtown, but we hope you’ll take into consideration as you’re doing these things is parking,” Hawkins said. “We need a central place for people to park. The merchants in downtown Florence welcome an entrance, exit and access to those patrons as they’re leaving the museum.”

Florence County Museum Board Chairwoman Jean Leatherman said space is an issue, and museum officials hope to have use of the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center parking. Museum and county officials also are working on securing additional parking space.

Florence City Council recently approved first reading of an ordinance that would convey an additional 75-foot strip of land along Cheves Street to the construction of the new Florence Museum of Art, Science and History.

The additional land would allow architects to include a bus dropoff and pick up area for school children, outdoor exhibit space and room for future growth. It would also provide green space, an important part of downtown landscape plans.

First reading of the ordinance passed with the stipulation that city council will not consider second and final reading of the ordinance until a work session and public hearing on the matter can be held. A public hearing on the downtown master plan is slated for March 25.

Construction on the new museum is expected to begin in fall 2011. The new facility is slated to open in 2013.