MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach leaders are looking at how to develop areas of downtown and highlight the city’s history by creating historic districts.
The goal of creating districts downtown would be to get historic tax credits to improve buildings more than 60 years old. Myrtle Beach was founded as a city in 1957 and one city leader wants to preserve buildings from that era to help businesses today.
City planning director Carol Coleman says creating a district would open up state and federal tax credits for businesses to invest downtown. Coleman shared her idea during the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corporation meeting at the old Myrtle Beach Train Depot on Wednesday.
The idea is in its early stages, so there’s no defined districts just yet, but it would likely include buildings more than 60 years old.
“The mid-century hotels, the mom-and-pops with the cool, brick coverings, and awnings, railings, and everything that screams 1950s, but is what a lot of people think of as nostalgia,” Coleman said.
Business leaders say branding an area as an historic district would also attract more visitors.
“We hear historic district and we know that’s going to be a cool place to go,” said Lauren Clever, executive director of the Myrtle Beach Redevelopment Corporation. “It’s going to be something different and unique.”
Coleman says creating districts would help revive some areas of downtown.
“Anytime you have revitalization of a specific area and a building, then it bleeds over into neighboring areas,” Coleman said.
Coleman says the next step is to discuss how to create historic districts with city council.