FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) – A new business is coming to downtown Florence, and city leaders plan to cure some traffic headaches in the process.
City council revealed the plan at their meeting Monday evening.
Florence Mayor Stephen Wukela tells News 13 that developers approached the city several months ago with an idea for the busy intersection of Dargan and Evans streets in downtown. The “service-industry” business will occupy the new southeast corner of the intersection.
Wukela says the plan, code-named “Project Tulip,” was green-lit by city council Monday night.
The plan includes a $13 million investment, and the city of Florence will provide about $2.2 million in incentives including 110 new parking spaces as well as the land for the project.
As part of the project, the Mayor says the city plans to straighten the somewhat awkward path that Evans Street takes across Dargan.
“We’ve wanted for a long time to make that a traditional ‘T’ intersection,” Wukela said. “This will make the intersection more efficient and allow for easy pedestrian travel.”
To do this, the city has purchased the lot at the northeast corner of the intersection and will use that to curve the Evans street to meet its current location, hopefully easing traffic headaches for drivers.
Mayor Wukela says this plan is the right move at the right time. “This continues the process of significant economic investment in downtown Florence,” he said. “We are very proud of that and excited.”
An announcement will be made in a few weeks with more details on which business is coming to the area. Count on News 13 to continue covering this story as it unfolds.