EDITORIAL: Florence making good progress toward revitalization

The City of Florence has taken dramatic steps toward downtown revitalization.An environment has been created to engage all perspectives and solve pressing problems associated with turning Florence’s center city into the hub of social and business activity in the Pee Dee.

From an arts and cultural perspective, Florence has built and committed to projects on a grand scale. The public investment in downtown is the right direction for the city and will light a path for future development.

As the next step, Florence leaders need to be creative in pursuing and securing private investment. And they need to go to any length necessary to ensure safety and security in downtown, which has a dicey reputation in the minds of some local residents.

Potential investors need to know politicians support downtown development. The city and county need to be on the same page in publicly embracing the concept.

Mayor Stephen Wukela has expressed his desire to develop more of Florence’s north side, not necessarily downtown. His remarks have been viewed as contrary to the city’s commitment to revitalization.

At a summit on revitalization in Florence last week, Wukela signaled a willingness to compromise and listen to all ideas. We applaud his flexibility and hope he’ll use all resources at his disposal to encourage progress.

“No one can argue for the status quo,” he told a group of local leaders at Central United Methodist Church on Wednesday. “We are moving forward.”

Already, great energy exists for change in downtown Florence. The Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation Library on Dargan Street is second to none in the state. It brings hundreds of people daily into the downtown area, potential customers for restaurants, shops and other cultural facilities.

The Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center, scheduled to open in November 2010, will rival the best facilities of its kind in the Southeast. Dozens of shows will bring audiences downtown, where they will be looking for opportunities to dine and shop as part of the experience.

Development of a downtown transit center has emerged as another major piece to the puzzle. A transportation hub would bring hundreds of bus riders daily into Florence. Many would come to town for personal business, such as health services, and spend money on their trip. A six-county regional center would have a positive impact on investors as they’re deciding whether invest in a downtown business.

Many cities have included small business incubators in their transit centers, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, a consultant on downtown development, told the summit. We hope it’s part of Florence’s plan. A small business incubator staffed by business experts from FMU would help new entrepreneurs, accelerating chances for success with resources and services.

Parking remains a high priority on everyone’s list. Public investment in a parking garage seems like the only alternative. Patrons would be turned off in Florence if they were forced to pay for parking.

As revitalization moves ahead, city leaders seem excited about the prospects. We agree with their enthusiasm. It can work. We would suggest bringing more stakeholders to the table, including neighborhood associations, church groups and advocates for downtown preservation. Their understanding is crucial.

Recruitment of a major, private tenant for downtown remains elusive. Commitment by a significant retailer, grocer, cineplex or sports team to locate would push revitalization ahead tremendously. That’s where creativity from politicians will become the key. Tax breaks and incentives to spur relocation have worked in other cities. They can work in Florence, too.

Future economic prosperity depends on a thriving downtown. Florence has positioned itself for success. We strongly support efforts to build on the momentum without delay.

Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).