MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – After a great deal of controversy from business owners and people who live in Myrtle Beach, the proposed plans for a children’s museum and library in the area known as the Superblock are now uncertain.
Several of the business owners in the superblock have told News13 they wanted to be a part of the city’s discussion for the future of the area.
In Wednesday’s Downtown Redevelopment Meeting, Myrtle Beach leaders, DRC representatives, and city leaders broke up into groups and jotted down their ideas for the entire downtown area of Myrtle Beach.
Several ideas were brought to the table – including the idea for mixed-use buildings with apartments, a music venue, open green space, boutiques, and cafes with outside seating.
Many people said they’d like to make the area more pedestrian friendly, even if it meant rerouting traffic on Ocean Boulevard.
In the meeting, it was announced that Lauren Clever will take over as the new executive director for the DRC on January 1st. Clever currently serves as the assistant executive director for the corporation.
Clever said her vision for the area where the children’s museum and library are proposed is unclear, and it will take the city working together to develop a game plan.
“I don’t know the answer to that question. I mean, I know what has been proposed, but to be honest, I don’t know what the solution or what the answer is going to be. That will be something that the city will have to determine as a whole. I do believe that it will be something. I don’t know exactly what, but I believe it has to be something,” said Clever.
Clever says she’s excited to take over the new role, and she expects to have a better idea for what will go in the Superblock area in 2018, but right now, they want to hear what everyone around the city wants to see done throughout the downtown area.
Several of the groups said they’d like to see the area become safer, and Clever says safety will be one of her top priorities in her new role.
In the meeting, Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock said she’s going to start a business watch program focused on outreach in January.
“I’ve talked to Chief Prock on numerous occasions, and I’m excited about working with her efforts because I think she’s got some good ideas, and again, it involves not just the police department, not just a redevelopment corporation, it’s not just a city entity. I think it’s all of us together working towards that same mission,” said Clever.
Chief Prock says they’ll hold quarterly classes and ask business owners to communicate quickly with police if they have a problem.