Young Professionals Team Up With Dolce Vita for the First Social of 2020

Young Professionals held their first social of 2020 on Thursday, January 16. Thank you to Dolce Vita Café & More for hosting this great event. The ambience, venue, refreshments, and spirits really allowed for a wonderful evening. We want to extend gratitude to our YP members who came and kicked off the new year with us. We had 40 young professionals in attendance and we know the number of those involved will continue to grow. This year we have big plans for all of our events and want everyone to be involved.

Interested in becoming a member? Contact us at ypflorence@gmail.com or call Kristin at the Chamber at (843) 519-0933.

We are looking forward to seeing our members Thursday, February 20 for our Lunch and Learn featuring Knowledge and Board opportunities to serve on Non-Profit Boards.

The second gallery are pictures taken by Phillip Guyton of True Light Photography.

Junior Leadership Now Accepting Applications

Junior Leadership Florence County is an eight-month program in which area high school sophomores and juniors are empowered to become trustees of the Florence County community. Throughout the eight months of the program students will learn a variety of valuable leadership skills including time management, community issue awareness, and business ethics. The program also provides training in the area of personal development, skills training, volunteering opportunities and team building. Another benefit of the program is the opportunity to gain new contacts through networking and relationship building. The JLFC program is presented by the Florence County Extension Service, The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, and Francis Marion University with the support from local businesses to provide professional personnel.

Junior Leadership will be accepting applications until Sunday, March 15.

To find the application, click here.

Chamber and FMU Host MLK, Jr. March

On Thursday, January 16, the MLK, Jr. observance at Francis Marion University started out with a reception at the Wallace House – home to FMU President Dr. Luther F. Carter – before a candle-lit march went from the home to McNair Auditorium for a series of performances and speeches that lead up to keynote speaker The Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Robinson Jr. or Trinity Baptist Church in Florence.

To see the full gallery of images on SC Now, click here.

Junior Leadership Participates in Agribiz Day

On Wednesday, January 15, the Junior Leadership Florence Class went to the Florence Center to experience the Agribusiness Day. Kate Nobles and Arbor One Farm Credit planned a fun, interactive, educational trade show scavenger hunt for the students. This allowed the students to get involved, learn about agriculture, and those who are involved.  McCauley Frierson with Clemson University, along with Clemson students did an admissions presentation. The Clemson students also talked to the students about the resources with Clemson. Special thanks to all that were involved to make this an eventful and educational experience. Without our sponsors who are highly involved and love the program as much as the students do, this would not have been successful. The Junior Leadership Florence is represented by the partnership between the Clemson Extension 4-H, the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, and Francis Marion University.

 

Leadership Florence’s Social Issues Day

On Tuesday, January 14, the Chamber’s Leadership Florence Class of 2020 held Social Issues Day.

The 42-member class visited, toured and heard from more than 20 area non-profits agencies and social service providers in the Florence area. Agencies included: Lighthouse Ministries, the Literacy Council, Naomi Project, SNAC, Youth Mentors of the Pee Dee, House of Hope, Help 4 Kids, American Red Cross, Man 2 Man, All 4 Autism, the Manna House, United Way, Tenacious Grace, The Florence Human Society, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Housing Authority and the CARE House.

Each respective agency gave a detailed summary of their respective organization and how to donate, volunteer or get involved.

Breakfast was sponsored and catered by Venus and lunch was sponsored by The Carolinian.

$62.5M Development to Include Apartments, Town Homes, Hotel, Office Building, Parking Deck and Park

by Matthew Christian

The Florence City Council took the first step Monday afternoon in setting out plans for the construction of a $62.5 million mixed-used development to be located across West Evans Street from the Florence City Center.

By unanimous consent, the council approved the first reading of Bill No. 2020-06, which approves the conveyance of property and the conditional grant and development agreement with the developer.

The project is formally designated as Project Urban Square in the agreement.

The grant agreement also establishes the developer of the property as Styx Florence Land LLC. It adds that the developer will be led by a team of David and Jule Tuttle.

Styx Florence Land plans to develop and construct a multifamily apartment building, a professional office building, a hotel, and “high-density residential units” which probably would be town homes or condos.

The project is expected to include 150 new apartments, according to Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela. The nearby Emerson apartments have approximately 100 units.

Wukela also added the $62.5 million figure probably will increase.

“This is without question the largest single development the city has engaged in, and it’s complicated in the sense that it really involves several sub-developments when you parse out the townhomes and the apartments,” Wukela said. “There are still things to be filled in.”

He added there were still things to be revealed later, such as the name of the hotel and the tenant of the office building.

The project is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs as well as 150 to 200 new, well-paying jobs in the downtown area, according to the grant agreement.

The private investment in the property will total approximately $50 million.

In the agreement, the city agrees to convey the property to the developer for no monetary consideration. Part of the property being conveyed is subject to a lease with Elite Euro, an automotive repair garage that expires in Nov. 2022.

The agreement notes the city is working to terminate the lease but adds the property may be conveyed still subject to the lease.

The investment is expected to increase the taxable value of the property by $41 million as well as result in governmental fees, including water and sewer fees – the city agrees to design, construct and install the systems – hospitality and accommodations taxes, business license fees and building permits.

The city also agrees to construct a public parking garage at a cost of up to $11 million.

Wukela indicated the parking garage would have 300 spaces and that there would be other parking available on the site.

However, the agreement indicates the garage must contain no less than 250 spaces with 400 total public parking spaces in the development.

The city also agrees to design, construct, maintain and operate street and pedestrian lighting, landscaping and sidewalks along West Evans Street, Coit Street, N.B. Baroody Street and McQueen Street similar to the improvements in the 100 and 200 blocks of West Evans Street. The city also agrees to design, construct, maintain and operate a 1.5 acre park on the site.

The agreement notes that the total cost of the public amenities shall be between $1 million and $1.5 million.

The town homes or condos also are eligible for a 50% tap fee grant program for water and sewer tap fees.

The city also agrees to cooperate in Styx’s efforts to obtain benefits under the South Carolina Abandoned Building Revitalization Act.

The total amount of incentives provided by the city to Styx cannot exceed the value received by the city, according to the agreement.

The agreement calls for Styx to present the city with a site plan – Wukela indicated there were three to choose from – by Feb. 1 and that the city and Styx will agree upon a site plan by Feb. 29, the date of the land transfer.

A construction schedule is as follows: 10 months after Feb. 29, Styx will begin construction on the apartments; 60 days later the city will begin construction on the parking deck; by March 1, 2021, Styx will obtain a commitment from a hotelier and will submit site plans to the city; by Jan. 1, 2022, Styx will begin construction on the hotel.

Construction on the parking garage will be substantially completed by 12 months after construction begins. The apartment building is expected to be substantially complete by July 1, 2022, the hotel by July 1, 2023 and the whole project is expected to be substantially complete from the date five years and 10 months after Feb. 29, 2020.

The bill probably will be before the council on second reading in February.

To read the full story on SC Now, click here.

Florence County Wraps Up Year of Business Growth in 2019

by Nia Watson

Florence County is wrapping up 2019 with success in business and job growth.

This year the area secured a total of $89 million in industry investment along with 403 incoming jobs.

There were two big projects announced this year.

It was announced in August that the Texas chain gas station and convenience store, Buc-ees, will be located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and S.C. 327. And McCall Farms announced another major expansion back in October.

Stephanie Bosch, with the county’s Economic Development Partnership, said that education training, workforce and quality of life are selling points to attract new industries to the area. She hopes to continue the momentum in 2020.

“We hope to have multiple new announcements for new industry that’s going to locate here in Florence, as well as our existing industry, and continue to be involved with our different community partners,” Bosch said.

In downtown Florence, two major businesses opened its doors: The Hyatt Place Hotel and Carolina Bank.

Mike Miller, the president of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, said they also continue to see small and hospitality businesses springing up in and around the area.

“From your restaurants to your hotels, they continue to grow,” Miller said. “We’ve had population growth, we’ve had job expansion and they’re good jobs, they’re solid paying jobs.”

The Hyatt Place opened its doors back in February. Assistant General Manager Jenine Shaffer said business has been steady since.

“We get a lot of hospital business so that helped pick us up. We picked up for the holiday season,” Shaffer said.

With continued success expected for not only the new year but for years to come, city leaders plan to increase their partnerships with universities and technical colleges to provide the education and training employers are looking for.

“It’s critical for the continuation of the growth that we’ve seen. We can’t grow if we don’t have people to fill the jobs,” Miller said.

Copyright 2019 WMBF. All rights reserved.

To read the full article on WMBF, click here.

Junior Leadership Holds December Session

Our Junior Leadership Class had such a great day providing community service to some great local organizations on Friday, December 20.

Thank you to Harvest Hope, Lighthouse Ministries and Habitat for Humanity Restore for allowing our students to volunteer. We would also like to thank Chick-Fil-A of West Florence for providing lunch.

There are so many nonprofits in Florence County and our 4-H challenges you to find a place and use “your hands of larger service” to positively impact our communities!

Florence Chamber Holds Holiday Reception

by Matthew Christian

The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Holiday Reception was held Tuesday evening at the Chamber offices in downtown Florence. The reception featured remarks by incoming Chairman Ken Jackson and a welcome by Florence City Councilwoman Pat Gibson-Hye Moore.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

Chamber Business After Hours Held at Elmcroft Senior Living

by Ardie Arvidson

The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours on Thursday night was hosted by Elmcroft Senior Living at 3006 Hoffmeyer Road in Florence.

Elmcroft chose the event to showcase its Festival of Wreaths. The donated wreaths were displayed throughout Elmcroft for chamber guests to bid on. The proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society.

Forty wreaths were up for bid, Maggie Gardner of Elmcroft said.

Chinel Boateng, senior community development manager of the Southeast Region of the American Cancer Society, said this fundraiser will enable the organization to do more research. It will provide for more people to stay at Hope Lodges.

“The impact is very powerful,” Boateng said. “Every dollar counts.”

She handed out information about the American Cancer Society to the guests to give them additional insight into what the American Cancer Society does.

For more information about Elmcroft visit elmcroft.com.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.