The following is from Dorchester County Councilman Todd Friddle's recent statement regarding this upcoming project.
Much conversation has been made about Dorchester County's plan to sell 500 N. Main Street. I want to clarify some points and direct everyone to where they can find more information on the proposal from the developer and the impetus for the county's desire to sell the land.
Dorchester County has had a public plan to consolidate and streamline its building operations to bring more efficiencies to county government. As part of that process, the county created a Master Facilities Plan.
Additionally, the Town of Summerville has long asked about the redevelopment of 500 N. Main Street.
In the website below, the property was included in the town's redevelopment plan for what is called 'Midtown' as it was included in the Midtown TIF district. A TIF district allows redevelopment to pay for surrounding infrastructure improvements, allowing growth to pay for itself.
Summerville Town Council member Bill McIntosh made a motion for approval of the Midtown Redevelopment plan and TIF district.
I want to quote from the Town of Summerville's Midtown redevelopment plan Summerville Town Council passed that Bill McIntosh made the motion for:
"Also located in the Project Area is the former Dorchester County Hospital. This site, located at the intersection of U. S. Highway 78 and U.S. Highway 17A, is approximately 5 acres and was operated as a hospital from 1937 to 1975. It currently serves as the Human Services Building Complex for Dorchester County. Appropriate pedestrian, bicycle and stormwater infrastructure is needed to enable Dorchester County to create a plan for a mixed use development on this site that will include residential, office space, retail and other commercial uses."
We look forward to working with Summerville's Board of Architectural Review to realize the best possible project for the town, the county, and our collective residents.
You can find the full plan in the agenda for Summerville Town Council on February 10, 2022: https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/.../showpublishe.../23417
Find out more about the developer's proposed project and the county's process, here: https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/.../redevelopment-of...