Myrtle Beach Food Lion closed five years ago. What will take its place?

After a Myrtle Beach Food Lion closed more than five years ago, the property was left empty, and the local community lost convenient access to fresh foods.

Now, Horry County is moving to declare the site abandoned and bring new life to the property.

A resolution headed to Horry County Council could certify that 1009 U.S. 501 in Myrtle Beach is an abandoned building site and incentivize redevelopment. Under the South Carolina Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act, developers rehabilitating abandoned buildings are eligible for certain credits.

The Horry County Administration Committee passed the resolution which will likely be presented for approval at the next County Council meeting, according to county spokesperson Thomas Bell.

Owner Tradewinds Plaza Holdings LLC initiated the certification process, which won’t financially impact the county, according to the resolution.

When the Food Lion near downtown Myrtle Beach closed , it exacerbated food insecurity in an area where more than a third of residents lived below the poverty line and over 30% of households used Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, The Sun News previously reported in an article featured in the Administration Committee’s agenda.

It’s unclear what developers have planned for the space based on the resolution, and the property’s listed agent did not respond to requests for comment before publication. Myrtle Beach classifies the site as a mixed-use, medium-density district, which allows for a variety of residential, commercial and public service uses in the space.

If the resolution is passed by Horry County Council, developers will need city approval for whatever they build at the site, according to Bell, who said he was uncertain about future plans for the former Food Lion. A representative for Myrtle Beach said no related discussions have occurred yet at the city level.