MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Changes may soon come to the Five Points area of downtown Myrtle Beach.
City leaders met Monday with business and property owners to find out what they’d like to see done to revamp the area.
People at that meeting say their biggest concern is whether or not city leaders actually mean what they say when they tell them they’d like to improve downtown Myrtle Beach.
They say for years, the city has talked with them about bringing change to the Five Points area, and both homeowners and business owners say they’d like to see the city put its money where its mouth is.
The area is the first thing you see when you drive in the city, and as it stands now, there are empty storefronts, trash in the streets, and there’s a perception of crime that’s been given to the area for years.
Sharon Boyce owns property in the area, and she says that’s not what she wanted when she invested in Myrtle Beach.
“I’m going through a bunch of rentals, people that do not care about their properties, and I would like to see the neighborhood with more homeowners in there and more of a positive feel,” said Boyce.
Myrtle Beach City Planning Director Carol Coleman says that’s what they’re working to achieve.
“I understand that they’ve been out before, and they’ve heard it once before. Hopefully, the climate is right now that we can find the right mix, find some funding sources, and actually make some real improvements,” said Coleman.
Coleman says they’re using several models from places around the state that have had success in revamping their downtown, including Florence, Lake City, and Aiken.
She says one of the first improvements to come will be more parking.
“We’re somewhat putting our money where our mouth is right now. We’ve got GSATs funding that we’ve set aside to make some improvements at Main Street to create more parking, more visible parking,” said Coleman.
Plans were also discussed to bring a residential district and more restaurants to the area, similar to The Market Common.
“We’re going to have something great, and this is going to be an awesome area, and it’s going to go with the goals I had twelve years ago when I first came here,” said Boyce.
Planning Director Carol Coleman says she plans to meet with the community again in about a month.
After that, the planning commission, and then the city council will have to approve plans before any changes can happen.
Count on News13 to keep you updated with the latest.
