Florence extends Urban Square project deadlines to October 2025 amid community concerns

The City of Florence, South Carolina, held a government meeting on April 14, 2025, to discuss the progress of the Urban Square development project, a significant investment aimed at enhancing the community. The meeting began with expressions of excitement from residents regarding the potential benefits of Urban Square, which includes plans for an office building and townhomes. However, there was also notable frustration among the public due to delays in the project's timeline, which had not adhered to the original schedule set in 2020 and early 2021.

During the meeting, a representative from the Urban Square development team provided an update, confirming that design work for the office building is underway and that discussions with townhome builders are progressing. The representative expressed optimism about the future of the project.

City officials acknowledged that the developer has received three extensions regarding the project's benchmarks. Despite their hesitance to grant further delays, they ultimately decided to approve a final extension until October 1, 2025, for the commencement of construction on the multifamily portion of Urban Square. Additionally, all other deadlines in the incentive agreement were extended by six months to accommodate the developer's timeline.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from city officials to continue monitoring the project's progress and to ensure that the significant resources invested in Urban Square yield positive results for the community.