Palmetto State Extra: The Small Business Report

**SCDOT's Paying Homage To Old Architecture Deterrent In Urgent Replacement Of The Manning Avenue Bridge**

The State Historic Preservation Office, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Registry of Historic Places have established deterrents in the process of replacing the deteriorating, dilapidated Manning Avenue Bridge, despite its deplorable condition of the bridge.

Valuable time is being wasted due to formalities surrounding the SCDOT paying "homage" to the design of the Manning Avenue Bridge, built back in 1940.

The crumbling, dilapidated state of the Manning Avenue Bridge makes its replacement of dire urgency.

It is well-understood that there are detailed procedures that must be undertaken in order to tear down and replace roads and especially, bridges such as the Manning Avenue Bridge.

Time is of the essence.

The SCDOT officials, along with the Sumter Area Transportation Study officials must remove the unnecessary maneuvers and procedures that stand in the way of replacing the Manning Avenue Bridge and get busy with substantial works to bring into fruition the safe, secure, and sustainable replacement of the Manning Avenue Bridge.

**Queen Latifah Puts Her Money Where Her Mouth Is With Investment To Create New Affordable Housing In Her Hometown**

According to reports Queen Latifah has secured a new deal to create new housing in Newark, NJ through Blue Sugar Corporation — her real estate development firm.

“To me, Newark is ours. Newark is yours. And I don’t want people to think that they can’t live in their own communities,” she told sources.

Latifah has backed Blue Sugar Corporation since 2019. Being its co-president, the multi hyphenate’s company partnered with New Jersey developer GonSosa Development to execute an affordable housing project, which cost $14 million.

“The project includes 20 three-family townhomes and a three-story mixed-use building with an additional 16 units,” NJ.com reported at the time. “Plans for the building include a fitness center and 1,900 square feet of commercial space that will be rented to nonprofits. The 60 units in the townhouses will be market-rate; the 16 units in the building will be affordable.”

**The Blood Connection To Host A Business After Hours**

The Florence Chamber invites you to join us for an after-hours event hosted by The Blood Connection. Come out on Tuesday, May 31st from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. located at 1617 S. Irby St. for great food, drinks, and networking. Be sure to bring lots of business cards! RSVP by calling the Chamber at (843) 665-0515 or by clicking the link below to register online.

**Downtown Florence Continues to Flourish**

Two years after the start of the COVID pandemic downtown Florence is, once again, about to get active. While other cities saw dramatic business losses during the pandemic, Florence only lost one business as traffic slowed. "We were very excited about that," Assistant Florence City Manager Clint Moore told Florence Lions Wednesday, May 11th.

"To date, we've seen more than $250 million invested in downtown since we started the revitalization process. That's public and private dollars," Moore said. "Last couple of years we're seeing $25 of private investment for every dollar of public investment."

"That says a lot about our downtown given interest rates and supply chain issues — folks are still wanting to invest," Moore said.

While downtown has been quiet recently, work will soon start again.

The building at 175 N. Dargan St. will soon be home to a jewelry store and two stores that aren't there now, Moore said.