By Betsy Finklea
The project at J.V. Martin by Cadence Development is moving along, according to Tonya Haddock, the managing partner of Cadence Development.
Haddock recently told The Herald, that they are preparing their architectural and civil plans for permitting review and hope to get construction started by late summer/early fall.
Last year, funds were awarded for the project in the amount of $2,661,593. At a City of Dillon Council meeting in 2019, they, along with the Dillon Historic School Foundation, presented their proposed project for the J.V. Martin property. Haddock said at this meeting that if they received this grant it would afford them the opportunity to do “some pretty amazing things” with this property. She said they want to restore the auditorium back to its original state. They will lease it back to the DHSF, and DHSF will be able to do theatre shows out of there and things of that nature. Haddock said they will have 33 one-bedroom apartments for seniors and will do social and supportive services not just for the people who live there, but also for the community at large. Haddock said they want to re-do the gymnasium, have a beauty parlor and a barbershop on location, and offer classes like yoga and art.
She said their vision is to reinvent while still using the bones of the property bringing it back to a state to be a beautiful gateway back to the downtown area.
This is not assisted living. This is senior housing, an apartment, designed to allow people to age in place. These apartments are for independent people who want to do things that bring them back to the community. She said these people might want to do certain programs such as community gardening, taking a dance class, listening to a lecture, etc. She told council members to think of this as a one-bedroom apartment.
They will have a kitchen in the apartment, but they want to utilize the kitchen at the school and offer cooking classes. In accordance with the standards, the apartments must be 750 sq. ft., but no larger than 950 sq. ft.
The approximate monthly rent will be $595 and includes water and sewer, but not utilities.
Haddock said she had done about 12 of these developments in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia.
