The old downtown Hardee’s in Fort Mill will be demolished. Here’s what happens next
A prominent spot atop Main Street in Fort Mill will now provide parking for downtown restaurants, stores and attractions. And, it’ll be free.
The former Hardee’s restaurant site at Tom Hall and Springs streets will become free parking on Wednesday, and in the coming months the building will be demolished to make more spaces.
“We will open that for free parking today at noon,” Mayor Guynn Savage said Wednesday morning. “We’re taking down the paid portions of it to assist with the parking challenges that are occurring due to the Duke line work.”
Duke Energy is upgrading utilities in the Main Street area, further stressing an already difficult parking situation downtown. For years, Fort Mill officials have looked to add parking as new restaurants and retail shops pop up on Main.
There’s parking at the bottom of Main at Veterans Park, and some behind shops on either side of the street.
County land records still show the former Hardee’s site belonging to a Charlotte company that bought it for more than $1 million in November.
That company, 561 Lowcountry LLC, set up paid parking, a first for downtown, in the lot that once served the fast food restaurant. The town announced it acquired the property on Tuesday, but didn’t disclose the price. The town used impact fee and hospitality tax revenue, Savage said, but she didn’t give a sales price.
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Impact fees are charges on new development used to offset growth costs for the town. Hospitality tax is a charge on food and drink used to fund tourism-generating projects.
Once the Duke Energy utility work is complete, likely within two months, the town will demolish the restaurant building.
Eventually the site will allow for about 70 new parking spaces. The property has about 40 there now.
Hardee’s was a gathering site in Fort Mill
Almost a year ago, Hardee’s abruptly closed what had been one of Fort Mill’s longest-serving restaurants.
The town didn’t pursue a property purchase then because it appeared the costs would be too high, Savage said. The mayor didn’t offer details on the property acquisition this time other than to say the impact fees and hospitality tax made it possible.
The town’s intent wasn’t to buy the site to bring in new business, but to bring help for businesses already there. “People that have businesses in the downtown district, they’ve made investments and we want very much to keep downtown alive and vibrant,” Savage said.
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In addition to restaurants and shops, the Fort Mill History Museum on Clebourne Street is within walking distance of the former Hardee’s site. There are places just off Main, like Illumination Wines on Springs.
Even as more free parking made sense, watching the Hardee’s building come down will be difficult, Savage said.
For decades it was an unofficial meeting spot for locals, particularly in the mornings. Senior citizens especially would gather and catch up on the news about town when there weren’t nearly the number of places to meet that there are today.
Savage knows how important the property was to people in her family and others, but also sees opportunity by demolishing it.
“So many of them gathered together to share their stories and a cup of coffee,” Savage said. “It is a bit heart-wrenching to see it go, but (new downtown businesses) offer something similar for another generation.”
