Burroughs Company donates riverfront open space to City of Conway

The Burroughs Company on Wednesday deeded nearly five acres of prime waterfront property to the City of Conway to be maintained as open space, parking, recreational use and access to the Waccamaw River.

J. Egerton Burroughs, president of the company, said that with the city’s ownership and its expected improvements to landscaping and infrastructure, he hopes they can attract a new river-front hotel beside the bridge.

“That would change our world,” said Conway Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy, who announced the partnership at a news conference at Conway City Hall.

Blain-Bellamy said the city council will soon begin work on a master plan for the riverfront area, and expects the new partnership with the Burroughs Company will improve the waterfront district so that investors will be more interested in bringing new jobs and opportunities to the community.

“They’ve allowed us to use it for years, and we have used it for years like it was our own,” Blain-Bellamy said.

Burroughs said the plan will allow for four new businesses along the Conway Riverwalk, where the restaurant Bonfire expects to reopen in the fall once damages are repaired from a May building fire.

Additionally, they are looking to recruit investors to construct three new businesses on the riverfront next to the Ocean Fish Market on Kingston Street, with 15 foot river access walks between each building.

The Jerry Cox building that extends from Main Street to a riverfront exterior on Kingston Street also is targeted for redevelopment.

Burroughs deeded several parcels of open property surrounding each of these sites, plus acreage surrounding the Peanut Warehouse, to the city.

Presently, all of that property is used for parking and open space.

“The Burroughs Company is still struggling, don’t let me fool you, but the program that we have developed with the city’s leadership and guidance is a vehicle where the city comes in, controls parking areas and green areas and parks,” Burroughs said. “It could be walkways, could be festival sites.”

Burroughs strongly hinted that a barbecue festival would be his choice, but conceded that others are pushing for a bluegrass festival.

“Is it perfect? It’s not done yet, because there’s still a lot of input coming,” Burroughs said. “But I really think it will give the opportunity for new investors to come in town and start building businesses of all types, and take pride of ownership and become part of the Conway business community.”

This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Burroughs Company donates riverfront open space to City of Conway."