What is the status on the LOST projects?

Sumter's 'mini-stimulus'

By GINA VASSELLI
Item Staff Writer
gvasselli@theitem.com

A year after the projects were approved, some in the community are wondering what's happening with their penny.

Many of the projects are being planned, some are under construction and two are totally finished.

The following list outlines the status of each of the 16 projects:

PATRIOT PARK YOUTH CENTER SPORTSPLEX
This $6 million project created four new softball fields and a central control tower at the complex.

Status: Completed

The park improvements were officially finished on July 29.

LAND BORDERING SHAW AIR FORCE BASE
This project aims to buy land bordering Shaw Air Force Base for $6 million to make sure it is not developed, which could prevent any future expansion of the base.

Status: Completed

On Sept. 22 the City of Sumter signed a contract to buy 920 acres on the east side of the base. The land will be used as a passive park.

SIDEWALKS
Many areas in Sumter highly used by pedestrians do not have sidewalks. This $1.5 million project is building at least six new sidewalks and renovating others, many around schools.

Status: Under way

The sidewalks near Lemira Elementary School and Crosswell Elementary School are finished. Several other sidewalk projects are expected to go out for bid soon. The goal is to have the sidewalks near schools completed first and then move on to the longer projects, like near Carter and Wilson Hall roads.

RURAL FIRE STATIONS
This $3 million project is designed to improve 12 rural fire stations and build three new ones in areas that do not have them.

Status: Under way

Improvements to the Pinewood and Concord stations have already begun and some of the less extensive work at the other stations is under way as well. Leases have been signed on properties for the new Cherryvale and Wedgefield stations, and the process is ongoing for the other new station.

COMMUNITY CENTERS
Three new community centers will be built under this $2.5 million project. The new facilities will be in Pinewood, Salterstown and the Concord/Lakewood Area. There will also be renovations to six existing community centers.

Status: Under way

The renovations of the existing centers are ongoing, but the construction of the new centers will likely not begin until next year.

ACQUISITION OF LAND/RENOVATIONS
$2 million is being used to purchase property on Manning Avenue, Liberty Street, Main Street and Broad Street. The city purchasing the land will enable it to provide incentives for developers to restore the buildings.

Status: Under way

The city has already used some of the money to purchase property in the downtown area, like some of the space around the new Central Carolina Technical College nursing building.

JUDICIAL CENTER
The largest of the projects is the construction of a new Sumter County Judicial Center to house the majority of the court offices and renovate the Magistrate Court. The project is estimated to cost about $20 million.

Status: Planning

A group of people are working to design the new center and soon those who work in the current courthouse will be asked for their opinions on what should be done. It is anticipated that the team who will work on the center will be in place sometime around January or February.

Exhibition center

The Sumter County Exhibition Center is about 30 years old and this $4 million project will replace the facility's air-conditioning unit and update the exterior.

Status: Planning

Architect Scott Bell is working on the final construction drawings and the project will likely go to bid soon. Construction will likely begin about March but will be stopping and starting to make sure high school graduation ceremonies can be held there.

POCOTALIGO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
To attract industries to the Pocotaligo Industrial Park, the plan calls for $2 million worth of infrastructure improvements, mainly water and sewer.

Status: Planning

Much of the design work has been completed for the project, but the construction has not begun.

WATER PLANT
A new water plant in the southern part of town, near U.S. 521, will be the first time in 16 years the city has built a new water plant to serve area businesses and residents. The hope is that this $8 million project will make the south and southeast parts of town more attractive for industrial development.

Status: Planning

Much of the preliminary work for this project is under way, but no construction has begun.

AIRPORT INDUSTRIAL
Park infrastructure

This section includes two projects, the North Wise Drive improvements and the Airport Infrastructure project. It will cost around $2.6 million and will add several roadways, linking the industrial park and the airport, and will expand the water and sewer services for that area.

Status: Planning

Portions of the plan are ready to go out for bid, but others are not quite finished. The plan is to put all the facets of the plan out for bid at the same time.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
This section encompasses four of the projects: the spot safety improvements, the Lafayette Diamond, the U.S. 15 Improvements and the Central Business District intersections. These improvements focus on the dangerous intersections in the community and assign about $11.5 million to the projects overall. Most of them focus on safety improvements, but some also focus on the aesthetics of the roadways.

Status: Planning

Most of the improvements to the intersections are in the process of being planned. There have been several open houses where members of the public have been invited to give their thoughts on the intersections and more open houses are planned.



Contact Staff Writer Gina Vasselli at gvasselli@theitem.com or (803) 774-1214.