By Donna Tracy, Courtesy of the Lake City News & Post, S.C./McClatchy-Tribune Regional News
LAKE CITY, S.C. -- Lake City Mayor Lovith Anderson Jr. and Darla Moore, chairwoman of the Lake City Community Foundation, announced Wednesday that construction of a 57-room boutique hotel project on West Main Street will begin next month.
Community leaders gathered at the Village Green for the announcement that Anderson hailed as the result of a "true sense of collaboration with our partners at the Lake City Community Foundation and the Lake City Partnership Council," adding it helps put Lake City "on the map."
"This small town has really come together, working, building partnerships," said Anderson, "... the groups have come together to work towards making this a better place for our community and for our citizens."
In announcing the hotel, Moore said bringing the project to the city validates the direction of revitalization efforts and shows progress in changing the economic landscape of the community.
"The real measure of success and progress is outside validation," said Moore. "... the question of validation, in my view, is a resounding 'yes,' because a well-known and successful hotel development group led by Grey Raines saw what we were doing and decided to join in our effort by agreeing to build a spectacular 57-room boutique hotel right here in downtown Lake City."
The project incorporates the existing historic facades of three structures -- including one that currently has little else -- and will extend into the adjacent vacant lot and back toward the old stables that face North Acline Street. The stables are also currently under renovation and will serve as meeting and banquet space. The L-shaped structure also will include a courtyard and new streetscape off Main Street.
"Seeing what's been ongoing for many years now with the revitalization of downtown, we saw that, not only is there a need and a service here for a nice hotel -- the rooms and the demand's there right now -- but we also know that the future will bring further demand," said Raines, vice president of development, Raines Development Group Inc.
Construction on the three-story hotel is expected to be completed by fall 2013. According to Frank Caggiano, chief financial officer for the Lake City Partnership Council, the project has several elements to it and the overall total cost "will easily approach $8 million."
(c)2012 Lake City News & Post (Lake City, S.C.)
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