ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The future of Orangeburg is looking bright.
That's the message of the city's first ever State of the City sddress that was given by Mayor Michael Butler on Tuesday.
Butler updated the community on various projects and informed them about what's to come.
“We have been the hidden gem, but we finna be polished and shined," said the mayor.
In his address, he gave progress updates on multiple projects in the city, including its premier project the Railroad Corner Redevelopment.
This project has been in the works for 20 years.
The downtown hub will be a mix of student housing, commercial and retail space, and potentially house the Cecil Williams Civil Rights Museum.
After a two-decades in the making, Butler says shovels will be in the ground for that project at some point next year.
“He has done a tremendous job with the growth of Orangeburg and the things that they’ve implemented for the city. It’s a long time coming, and he’s got it going," said resident Shirley Hickson-Adams.
The city also just applied for grant funding that will allow for a pedestrian bridge connecting local college campuses to Magnolia Street downtown.
Other updates include the construction of its new city hall that's underway and scheduled to be complete by the beginning of 2024.
City staff is also working on a gateway project at Chestnut Street and Highway 601 that will offer green space and welcome visitors to the City of Orangeburg.
“We have to shine so that those other cities can have aspirations and hope to move because it’ll flow over for them," said Butler.
He also says the city is continuing to work on economic development opportunities.
To view the full speech, visit the City of Orangeburg's Facebook page.