ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The City of Orangeburg has gotten ideas from citizens, but leadership is still deciding the future of Railroad Corner.
"The issues that came forth in public meetings were preserving the history of that corner," said Sidney Evering, Orangeburg's City Administrator. "We take that very seriously because there is a rich history on Railroad Corner."
After hosting public interest meetings and surveys, the city recently hired an architectural firm to redevelop the site. There are eight buildings located on the site that are currently vacant or distressed. The plan is to redevelop the area to create a strategic location to create an attractive and welcoming gateway between downtown and the town's two colleges.
"One thing that we have consistently heard is that there are not enough things for the community to do," expressed Evering. "We want to make sure we are meeting their needs and wants."
Orangeburg's city administrator says there is major interest in turning the buildings into a place for dining, retail, and a civil rights museum. He says the important thing the city is trying to do is preserve the buildings.
"If we can't preserve the building structures, then we will plan to incorporate some historic aspect into the new design," said Evering.
"You can build a new building all you want," expressed William Green, Orangeburg resident. "However, after a year or two, people are going to lose interest in that building.
As of now, there is no start date for the project.
