By Betsy Finklea
Dillon Mayor Todd Davis addressed an editorial in The Dillon Herald supporting the city’s plan regarding Main Street and said that the hope was that something would get started soon.
Davis said this is easier said than done. Davis said he walks Main Street everyday going back and forth to the post office.
Davis said on the side of the street where B.C. Moore’s used to be, there are a few stores that he can tell no one has been in since the hurricane. He said there is dew on the windows and an awful smell of wet carpet coming off the buildings. He said nothing is being done with these buildings. Davis said there some on the other side of the street in the same situation.
Davis said the inventory of buildings, whether occupied or unoccupied, is poor, and the hurricane made it worse.
Davis said it is going to be a job. He said Maggie Riales gave him Preservation Tax Incentive information for the City of Dillon, and they are still going forward on the façade grant. He said they increased the dollar amount. The person must match the dollar amount. He hopes there will be some interest in this.
Davis said it all comes down to the property owners. He said he cannot understand why someone would have a building downtown and lit it deteriorate. Davis said they are going to move forward with the façade grant and up that amount to make it worthwhile. He said to think of it as a spark.
While watching the Florence parade, he saw Tim Norwood talking about what Florence is doing. Davis said he was going to talk to Norwood; anyone is welcome to go and get ideas from him. He said Florence is a different ballgame, but there may be some things that Dillon can pick up on. Davis said Florence is a different ballgame, but there may be some things that Dillon can pick up on. Davis said Florence was “just as dead” as Dillon so there must be something they can learn from and go from there. Davis said Riales cannot do this job. The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) will be heavily involved; and while he knows things will have to be done the correct way, he does not want to see the BAR slow things down.
Davis said they need to really step up with someone who knows what to do going forward and to work on grants for Dillon in general. He said he felt that they had been weak in that area.
Councilman Johnny Eller asked why the city cannot hold the building owners accountable for painting their buildings, signage, etc. City Manager Glen Wagner said their rules did not cover maintenance but rather if they change something, it has to be approved by the board.
Wagner said some had used the façade grant and done some things. Some have a business in the building and cannot afford to spend the money or do not want to spend the money on a building they do not own.
 Councilman Phil Wallace said an investor could buy a building for $2,000-$30,000 and would have to spend a quarter of a million dollars to get the building up to code and functional.
Wallace said what they need to do is get outside investors to come in, sell Main Street by the block, and establish a downtown outlet mall setting. He said this is what they need to attract. He said he believes they can draw off I-95 to the downtown area. Eller suggested getting the mural on 301 repainted.
Davis said it was tough, but they were going to try. He said downtown is not a good picture. It is a quality of life issue, and the building owner has got to buy into it.