The city was recently awarded a $500,000 Village Renaissance Grant through the Community Development Block Grant Program. The money will be used to revitalize a neighborhood adjacent to the city’s historic downtown.
The area impacted by the grant is Lyttleton Street and Market Street from Rutledge Street to King Street, along with Savage Avenue and Conway Circle.
“This grant is a huge step toward linking our downtown to the surrounding neighborhoods and improving the area’s infrastructure,” said Mayor Jeffrey Graham. “We want to create an environment that invites residents to walk to the businesses downtown and encourages interaction between neighbors.”
The funding will be used for undergrounding utility lines, rehabilitating old sewer lines, improving storm drainage and funding outreach programs by the police and fire departments.
The Village Renaissance Program is designed to fund local projects aiming to revive in-town residential neighborhoods. Projects must be used to improve or repair infrastructure, increase safety, encourage interaction between residents and improve the overall physical appearance of the area. Pictured above (left to right): Jim Darby (Santee-Lynches COG), Rep. Laurie Funderburk, Councilman Ned Towell, Bonnie Ammons (SC Department of Commerce), Sen. Vincent Sheheen, Mayor Jeffrey Graham, Councilwoman Alfred Mae Drakeford, Councilman Walter Long, City Planner Shawn Putnam
