The Florence Downtown Development Corporation (FDDC) is a non-profit organization devoted to revitalizing and restoring civic pride in Downtown Florence. Founded in 2002, FDDC is a quasi-public organization and a South Carolina Main Street member.
The impetus for creating the FDDC evolved from recommendations outlined in the Downtown Master Plan & City-wide Structure Plan. Residents, dismayed by the state of Downtown, made it a priority to prepare a master plan in order to revitalize the area. As a result, these stakeholders who desired the prosperous, attractive, and vital city center that Downtown once was, then set out to put their visions on paper. Led by the Florence 2010 Committee and PeeDee Visions Foundation, Inc., numerous public involvement activities occurred in order to produce the 2001 document, Florence 2010, that outlines the initial strategy for revitalizing the civic, cultural, and economic life of Downtown Florence. To this end, the plan recommended revitalization efforts be coordinated through a non-profit organization, which became FDDC.
In 2006 with the help of Hunter Interests Inc., an additional master plan was completed and bound into a three-phase document entitled the Downtown Florence Revitalization Strategy. This strategy, a continuation of the Downtown Master Plan, includes project feasibility studies, market data, and suggests redevelopment projects that would further the revitalization effort. In addition, it also contains recommendations of more than $180 million worth of new private-sector projects ranging from mixed-use development to lodging facilities and eating establishments.
Therefore, FDDC’s effort to revitalize the area involves administering the Revitalization Strategy and organizing and/or implementing projects outlined in the strategy such as:
- Property acquisition
- Design guidelines
- Streetscape improvement
- Historic preservation
- Public-private partnerships
- Economic incentive programs
- Property development facilitation
- Community rebuilding
Florence Downtown Development Corporation Board of Directors — January 2009
Tom Ewart, Immediate Past Chairman
First Reliance Bank
Tewart@firstreliance.com
Mindy Taylor
Progress Energy
Mindy.taylor@pgnmail.com
2nd Term expires- 12/31/09
Phillip Lookadoo, Executive Director
Director, Urban Planning & Development
City of Florence
plookadoo@cityofflorence.com
Dr. Annie Brown
Florence-Darlington Technical College
Annie.brown@fdtc.edu
1st Term Expires- 12/31/10
Peter Mazzaroni, Chairman
Roche Carolina
Pete.mazzaroni@roche.com
1st Term Expires – 12/31/09
Tom Marchel
Chamber of Commerce
Tmarchel@Florencescchamber.com
Charlene Lowery
Charlene.lowery@mail.house.gov
2nd Term Expires – 12/31/11
Douglas Hawkins
Ideal Funeral Home
doughawk@bellsouth.net
2nd Term Expires – 12/31/10
Mark Laskowski
Morning News
mlaskowski@florencenews.com
1st Term Expires – 12/31/10
Paula Lawson, Secretary
Pdlaw816@aol.com
2nd Term Expires – 12/31/11
Councilman Frank “Buddy” J. Brand II
City Council
brandf@stifel.com
2nd Term Expires – 12/31/11
John Keith, MD
Jakeith13@gmail.com
1st Term Expires 12/31/11
Ed Love, Vice Chairman
Willcox Law Firm
elove@willcoxlaw.com
1st Term Expires – 12/31/10
Karen Leatherman, Treasurer
Fitness Forum
kleatherman@fitnessforumonline.com
1st Term Expires – 12/31/10
Darryl Bridges
Francis Marion University
dbridges@fmarion.edu
Dr. Sharon Davis
Florence Darlington Technical College
Sharon.davis@fdct.edu
Barbara Moore
Florence Regional Arts Alliance
Winsboro69@aol.com
Mike Richenbach
1st Term Expires – 12/31/11
Bob Ericksen
Roche Carolina
Robert.ericksen@roche.com
2nd Term Expires – 12/31/11
Councilman Steve Powers
c/o S/W Printing
Pres. Downtown Merchants Association
SPowers208@aol.com
Jackie Wukela
Mayor’s Appointee
juwukela@aol.com
David Williams
City of Florence – City Manager
Dwilliams@cityofflorence.com