FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – The City of Florence is moving onto phase two of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program which aims to revive downtown by diversifying the neighborhoods with modern houses. 

Old Carver Station is being built off of Sumter and Alexander Streets. City officials have removed trees from a vacant lot next to Bible Way Church of Florence where they will construct 6 single-family houses. Each one will be a split-level house with a porch, a one-car garage, two bathrooms, and three bedrooms with the master bedroom on the first floor. City Manager Drew Griffin says a first-floor master bedroom is something people have been requesting and the city wants to deliver. He also says the project aims to make Florence a more desirable place to live for new residents and draw former residents back to certain neighborhoods that they moved away from due to a lack of diversity in housing.

“They’ve got good jobs, they’re working in professional areas such as school teachers, nurses, and yet they were kind of forced to move somewhere else. So what we’re trying to do is act as a developer in creating that opportunity,” said Griffin. 

The city is also focusing on building features that bring people together and make certain places more accessible. They’re calling them “community strengths” and “complete streets.” Community strengths are places where people can gather, like churches, schools, or parks. Griffin described them as an “activity that resonates with people in the places they want to live.” Complete streets will be used to link those places together and better connect the community. 

“It ties certain amenities, typically street-related amenities such as a bike lane, such as a mini park. Some of these things that people look to. Somewhere you can walk. And you have somewhere to go. That you’re bumping into people, that you’re seeing people,” Griffin explained. 

Each house in the Old Carver Station neighborhood will sell for about $130,000. The third and final phase of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program will be at East Pine. City leaders expect that phase to begin late this year or early next year.