Historic Downtown Corridor For Sale in Pee Dee Region

SOCIETY HILL, S.C. (WOLO) – Preservationists have the opportunity to buy and restore an historic South Carolina downtown corridor in Darlington County.

Non-profit, Preservation South Carolina, recently acquired the land and buildings in Society Hill, and wants to sell the properties to someone with the passion to bring the place back to life.

“It is a historic preservationist dream,” said Mike Bedenbaugh, Executive Director of Preservation South Carolina.  “We have secured the ability to purchase and rehab what is essentially an entire downtown corridor in a small historic town with tremendous potential.”

Preservation South Carolina said Society Hill is one of the oldest communities in the multi-county region along the Pee Dee River. It was set up in the 18th century by a colony of Baptists.

The group said while it is a small town, there is a lot of traffic that drives through. Society Hill is directly between five larger communities, including Florence. They said a recent traffic study showed that more than 8,000 cars come through the corridor every day.

“We are looking for people to invest in the history of South Carolina,” said Bedenbaugh.  “Our state has a significant history and we are looking to transform neglected historic places into vibrant economic development opportunities for the towns they are in.”

The corridor includes 13 acres with four historic buildings – two homes and two stores. The largest structure, the 7,000 square foot Coker Rogers Store, would be ideal for a destination restaurant featuring farm to table food, and the smaller Sompayrac Store is ideal for any type of small business. The four buildings can be bought individually or all together.

Preservation S.C. said it will vet potential buyers as to their ability to rehabilitate the properties properly, according to secretary of interior standards.  The criteria for the sale of these is more than just meeting the asking price, but confirming the ability to fulfill a rehabilitation plan.

Proceeds from this sale will go into a preservation fund that the non-profit has established for the nine-county region of the Pee Dee.

Preservation S.C. is a non-profit organization operating in South Carolina since 1990, dedicated to preserving and protecting the historic places of South Carolina.

To schedule a viewing, contact Jim Lyles at United Brokerage Services in Florence, S.C. by phone at 843-622-5263 or by e-mail at jim@unitedbrokerage.com.