‘Warm, inviting and hopeful’: Conway Council makes wish list for new city hall

Water features, an SCDNR office, parks, multi-purpose rooms and a drive-through are all possibilities for a new Conway City Hall.

City council discussed what the city government’s new home might look like with representatives from Stubbs Muldrow Herin architects at a workshop meeting on Monday.

While council members didn’t always agree on individual priorities, there were a few important commonalities that emerged. The elected officials wanted to see the new courthouse to be welcoming, safe and centrally located without wasting space or taxpayer money.

No decision was made at the workshop meeting nor any specifics of costs or location. Those conversations will happen later in the process.

“It’s a starting point for the character of the building, what it says, what it conveys to the community,” SMHa Architect Billy Connell said.

The need for a new city hall stems from a growing city. Currently, Conway’s historic city hall on Main Street is not large enough to house all of its employees, causing city services to be broken up over several buildings.

Conway is one of the fastest-growing areas of Horry County. Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy said the new building needs to be forward-thinking and allow the city to grow over time.

“You want to design it so that Day 1 you’re not out of space, you failed if you did that,” Connell said in response to the mayor.

The city could build more space than it needs and rent it out to other public agencies like Social Services or the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

Blain-Bellamy said making sure staff is safe in the new building while also making the public feel invited to be on public ground is important. She suggested it should be well lit and have safety features that don’t make people feel uncomfortable.

In order to accomplish this, Council Member Thomas Anderson said he would like to see a park built and a usable water feature that kids can play in. He wants the new city hall to encourage people to come downtown, relax and visit other downtown businesses.

“Encourage people to be here beyond 5 o’clock. That’s my dream, my vision to have a friendly space that is here for more than Monday through Friday, 8 to 5,” Anderson said.

Some other ideas included public art, places to sit and eat and for employees to take mid-day breaks.

During their presentation, Connell and his team let the members pick their favorite out of 12 designs of existing buildings and then of landscapes. The designs that were most popular were well lit, multi-story, surrounded by green space and made of brick.

Council Member Jean Timbes said she likes brick because it is in character with the historic look of the current courthouse and downtown Conway.

Other council members agreed having a building that reflects Conway’s history is important, and Timbes added she wants to make sure it shows Conway is also moving forward.

“I want something that leads us to the future while reflecting on the good qualities of the past,” Timbes said.

The history of Conway would still be preserved in the current city hall, which is nearly 200 years old. It will not be torn down, but its new purpose is still uncertain.

Moving forward, Connell and his team will talk with city staff about their needs and then begin laying out conceptual plans for the new city hall.

While a location isn’t set in stone, the location would likely be downtown on city property near the Highway 501 Business bridge over the Waccamaw River. Connell said it would likely be one of the first things travelers see when coming into Conway.

He asked council what they want people’s first impression of the city to be.

Blain-Bellamy said she wants the building to a place that is ultimately “something warm, inviting and hopeful.”

“And a reason to slow down,” Anderson said in response.

This story was originally published August 5, 2019 at 7:58 PM.