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City of Greenwood Awarded Opportunity Grant
City Receives $934,674 from South Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Infrastructure Fund
July 24, 2006
GREENWOOD, SC - The 2004 adopted Greenwood City Center Masterplan received a huge announcement from the South Carolina Department of Commerce as a $934,763 Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Grant has been awarded to the City of Greenwood. The funding will be used for façade, infrastructure, and streetscape improvements along Maxwell and Oregon Avenues within Uptown Greenwood’s Emerald Triangle Arts and Cultural District.
Created in 2004 by the Department of Commerce, Opportunity Grants are designed to aid in the redevelopment of downtown areas in eligible communities. "Assisting smaller communities with development plans presents an opportunity," said Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor. "We are hoping these improvements make a significant contribution to the overall quality of life in these small cities and towns."
“I cannot be any more excited for our community than I am today,” said Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson. “Over the past two years, Greenwood has come together and raised over three million dollars in private funding for projects located in the Emerald Triangle including the Arts Center at the Federal Building, the Greenwood Community Theater, and the Greenwood Museum. With the announcement of the Opportunity Grant award, we have also secured over two million dollars of grant funding for Uptown projects.”
The City of Greenwood, Greenwood Commissioners of Public Works, Greenwood Metropolitan District, Uptown Greenwood Development Corporation, Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce, and 25 property owners along Maxwell Avenue are also contributing a combined $1,034,000 for the project for a total project investment of $1,968,763. The project will take approximately two years to complete.
“Maxwell Avenue contains some of Uptown Greenwood’s most historic treasures,” said Greenwood City Manager Steve Brown. “Many of the buildings were constructed from 1896 through the early 1900’s. These funds will allow the community to work and restore many of the historical façade features that remain along Maxwell Avenue and encourage new businesses to locate Uptown creating new jobs,” Brown concluded.
In 2004, the Partnership for a Greater Greenwood County and Economic Alliance funded the Greenwood City Center Masterplan drafted by consultants Arnett, Muldrow, and Associates. “The Partnership Alliance is extremely pleased for the Greenwood community to have received over a five million dollar return on our initial investment,” said Alliance CEO Jeff Fowler. “I do not believe anyone predicted our return on investment could happen this fast,” Fowler added.
“This is a sign of great things to come for the merchants of Uptown Greenwood,” said Uptown Greenwood Development Corporation Chairman Chip Turner. Turner is also the owner of H. H. Turner Jewelers in Uptown Greenwood.
The Opportunity Grant Program is a competitive application process for projects proposing comprehensive redevelopment activities in eligible communities. The program was established by the SC Coordinating Council for Economic Development in 2004, and is administered by the SC Department of Commerce’s Division of Community and Rural Development. The first Opportunity Grant recipients were the Cities of Bennettsville, Bishopville, and Union. In addition to Greenwood, this year’s recipients were the City of Clinton and the Town of Cheraw.
Greenwood City Council will consider acceptance of the grant award at a meeting scheduled for Monday, August 7 at 5:30 PM. For additional information on the Greenwood City Center Masterplan, visit www.uptowngreenwood.com or call (864) 942-8411.
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