West Pelzer holds first ever State of the Town to discuss future growth

WEST PELZER, SC (WSPA) – Many small towns in the Upstate are working on revitalization projects to put them back on the map. West Pelzer is heading into 2019 with the motto “Be Bold.”

For the very first time in 100 years, West Pelzer held a State of the Town address to show the community exactly where their growth is heading.

“From 1970s to 2010 or so nothing really happened in West Pelzer,” said Mayor Blake Sanders.

Sanders and Town Council have invested half a million dollars to kick start revitalization that has led to $8 million more in private investments.

“Just in the last 90 days, we’ve had a brewery contact us and a Thai restaurant contact us so we are starting to see that business environment transfer to our Main street,” Sanders said.

“One of those new businesses will be “The Grand Gallery.”

“I’m looking forward to artists having the same kind of exchange that I had here because I grew up here and have a lot in common with people here with a a blue collar background,” said Andy Gambrell who’s opening the new gallery.

In the first ever State of the Town address, Sanders said they will be bold with their future plans.

“We are going to start marketing regionally so you think Lake Hartwell butts up to West Pelzer and Falls Park and Liberty Bridge are justa walk away. Then we will look at greenways that could perhaps connect Pelzer, West Pelzer and Williamston up to Greenville and Anderson,” Sanders said.

The goal is to keep the small town feel while maximizing their space and bringing new people and ideas to the area.

“We are committed as a community to work together to make our lives collectively better moving forward,” Gambrell said.

The town will celebrate their 100 year anniversary this Saturday as they continue to work to put West Pelzer on the maps.

Just in terms of demographics, West Pelzer’s average age of new residents is under 35 and they’ve grown 15 percent since the last census, according to Sanders.