SUMTER, S.C. — The City of Sumter is hoping to revitalize its downtown with upgrades to it Rotary Plaza.
"It’s bringing Sumter alive," resident Murline Ingram shares.
The Rotary Plaza in the heart of Sumter is a revitalization Ingram is excited to see.
"I think the plaza construction is absolutely awesome because it can only enhance what's being done to the city downtown Sumter," Ingram adds.
Charles Howell is a landscape architect from Columbia who’s helping with the project.
"This is just kind of a refresh. Putting some more trees in, re-doing the brick paving, took some elements out that were under-utilized, and then dressing up the fountain again. Just basically all improvements," Howell explains. "I mean I think it’s just gonna be completely transform it into what I consider more modern plaza with the brewery and then of course the economic development [building], those type of architecture. We’re just trying to blend everything in and make it a complete project."
Howell hopes more people will use it once it’s finished, which business owner Dion Bowen tells me might bring more people downtown.
"I've seen the plans on the billboard and it looks exciting, something different, something new so it's pretty fun," Bowen says. "They’re moving in the right direction."
Visitors like Brittany Aleo, who came to Sumter for the day with a group from Florence.
"I think that it makes more people want to come to Sumter for sure," Aleo explains.
Wanda Wilkes agrees with Aleo, who she visted with. Wilkes says it's been years since she had been to Sumter, telling me she's "very surprised."
"It has changed to the better," Wilkes details. "I would love to come back again."
The approximately $750,000 construction is being paid for with government grant funding and the hospitality tax revenue, in addition to fundraising efforts from the Sumter Rotary Club to celebrate it’s 100 year anniversary, according to past president Shelly Lundberg.
"It is really exciting because it’s just nice that it’s become such a fixture in Sumter," Lundberg shares. "People visit it everyday. People just really enjoy it and utilize it."
Which Ingram thinks contributes to that Sumter pride.
"I think it's time and I think that we should be proud about our city of Sumter. If we live here, this is where we shop," Ingram smiles. "This is where our children are being raised, our grandchildren and you want them to be proud of where you live. I know I want to be proud of where I live, and as I was walking down through the city of Sumter, it looks absolutely amazing. I love it. I do!"
Construction is expected to be finished by end of summer.