New $10 million nursing facility coming to Florence
By: Nia Watson
FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) – The city of Florence has approved a Conditional Grant Development Agreement with the company, Fundamental Healthcare, to build a $10 million skilled nursing facility.
The new 120 to140 bed facility will sit on the old Young Pecan plant site near the Seminar Brewery on West Lucas Street along Highway 52.
“I think it’s a very productive agreement for both parties,” Mayor Stephen Wukela said.
The new nursing home will replace the current nursing home on Sumter Street managed by Faith Healthcare.
The agreement states the company bought the land from the city for $350,000 less than it would cost the city to clear out the property.
It also states the facility is anticipated to create “numerous well-paying service jobs”.
“Removing the blight of the old Young Pecan property and replacing that with a new 10 million dollar nursing facility I think is excellent and it fits into the healthcare focus industry in this community,” Wukela said.
Wukela said the development also falls in line with the city’s downtown revitalization plan as the location is one of the entrance corridors to the downtown area.
The agreement states the project “is of great importance to the redevelopment of the U.S. Highway 52 corridor to the Downtown Florence area in that it represents a large private investment in the area and involves the type project that should have a very significant impact on the value of and the redevelopment of surrounding properties in the corridor. These will be significant direct, indirect and induced economic impact resulting from the project.”
The company also agreed to give the city the current building to re-purpose for their neighborhood redevelopment plan for the area. Wukela said the current building that’s an eyesore to the Sumter Street neighborhood will be torn down once the new facility is complete.
“Removing that structure and the brightness associated with it is something we’re very interested in even aside from the 10 million dollar nursing facility,” he said.
Construction is expected to begin no later than July of 2020.
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