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Florence business development official outlines 2024 wins and 2025 prospects
Summary
Director Justin Finke highlighted housing approvals, a new hotel, a CarMax site under construction, and a logistics operation tied to Amazon that will retain some local jobs.
Justin Finke, the city's director of business development, briefed the council on the department's 2024 highlights and projects to watch in 2025.
Finke said the city is supporting several housing projects: a proposed 76‑unit senior living complex near Farmview Drive and South Fork Park (in major site plan review), a multifamily development on Gunpowder with 284 units plus 26 single‑family dwellings starting with single‑family units in 2025, and four additional townhomes in the Village Terrace development on Bowman Way. "We've obviously, you guys are familiar with this one as it just went through our annexation process," Finke said of the multifamily Gunpowder project.
On commercial development, Finke said a new seven‑story, 87‑room hotel (the "Crown Jewel Hotel") completed construction in November but had not held its grand opening. He said three outlots on the hotel site are being marketed. A CarMax site is under grading and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025, Finke said.
Finke said Recycle Reverse Logistics, a standalone business under Amazon's corporate umbrella that specializes in decommissioning and recycling Amazon data center equipment, will move into a space that previously had a WARN notice for Jabil. He said Recycle Reverse Logistics will preserve about 50 jobs from the space formerly occupied by Jabil, which employed roughly 150 people.
On retail, Finke said Publix is finalizing right‑of‑way agreements and is expected to start construction when weather allows. He also noted reinvestments by local businesses, including a façade upgrade at Carrie Nissan and a renovation at the Best Western property owned by the Athena Group.
Finke said the city regards store closures such as Big Lots and Party City on Mall Road as opportunities to recruit new tenants. He said the city's full annual economic development report will be released later in the week.
Council members asked about Big Lots; Finke said he had heard of wider efforts to preserve some Big Lots locations but had no update specific to Florence. No council votes were taken on projects at the meeting.
