City of Conway Purchases Riverfront Property to Spur Private Development

CONWAY, SC (July 29, 2019) – Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy is pleased to announce the City of Conway recently purchased four properties to prompt private development along the beautiful Waccamaw River in Downtown Conway.

The properties include the 10,000 square foot lot next to Ocean Fish Market, as well as three lots, totaling 15,000 square feet, next to Bonfire- A Smokin’ Taqueria.

These four parcels are currently vacant pieces of property, and development has been in the works for several years.

“The Conway City Council is tremendously happy and optimistic about this opportunity to stimulate and shape development of our downtown,” said Mayor Blain-Bellamy.

It is the City’s hope that by purchasing the property, it can better market the land to private developers and invigorate the downtown and Riverfront area.  

In 2015 and 2016, the City of Conway worked extensively with the Burroughs Company to help facilitate the development of several of their tracts of land in Downtown Conway and on the Riverfront. This agreement granted previous privately-owned space to the City, including parking, landscaping and access to the Riverfront and Kingston Lake.

In 2016, the City completed a Master Plan to help tie the downtown to the Riverfront and incorporate those newly acquired parcels. That same year, the City also worked with Van Watts, a private developer who planned to build 39 apartment units on the lot at Kingston Lake, but unfortunately, Mr. Watts passed away prior to closing the property.

Since then, the City has met with and worked with multiple developers to find a project that meets the City’s vision and will be the highest and best use for these parcels.

All four lots were purchased for a total of $400,000. Each fiscal year, the City of Conway sets aside money in its general fund for riverfront and downtown development.  

“It is our belief that the added value these properties will add to our downtown will put us in a place to quickly recoup the cost of the purchase, while driving economic activity in these highly visible locations,” said City Administrator Adam Emrick.

Next, the City will seek qualified developers interested in the property, and review their proposals. The City hopes to stimulate development with a mix of retail, residential, restaurants, and possibly a hotel.

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