Criminal Defense Lawyer in Murrels Inlet, SC

As redevelopment continues at a Murrells Inlet mall, additional businesses have announced plans to open on the property.

Phase two of the renovations of the Inlet Square Mall are currently in progress after demolition of parts of the property and building were completed last year, according to Real Estate Manager for Paramount Development Corporation Neal Bowers.

Construction of the new Hobby Lobby is close to being finished and is expected to open some time this spring, Bowers said.

Floor and Decor, 545 Mall Drive, has already opened and there are plans for a Chipotle to open in one of the outparcel lots near the Bypass, Bowers said.

A coffee company also is planned to be built next to Chipotle, but Bowers declined to identify the business.

Paramount Development Corporation is also working with other potential businesses, Bowers said, “but nothing I’m ready to announce.”

Construction also continues on a new Home2Suites by Hilton which will open near the Belk store at the mall. Paramount is not in charge of that construction, having sold the property for the building of the hotel, Bowers said.

Bowers said he can’t answer when the redevelopment will be complete as “it’s an ongoing thing.”

He said once the new facade on the north side of the Belk store is complete, additional spaces will be opened up. In addition, there are still several outparcels that will be open for future development.

But he does expect that by summer “a lot of these things will be open.”

“We’re ready for some new stuff,” Bowers said.

The mall opened in the late 1980s. However, business began to decline and as of 2018, many of the mall’s largest store spaces were vacant and other storefronts were without tenants.

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) — The “Survivor 50” Challenge is set to bring the thrill of finding a hidden immunity idol for “Survivor” fans across the country, including one being hidden right here along the Grand Strand.

To celebrate the milestone 50th season of the hit TV show, the nationwide challenge features a single hidden immunity idol hidden in every state, giving fans of all ages across the country a chance to discover the prize for themselves.

The South Carolina hidden immunity idol, specifically, has been tucked away somewhere within the expansive Brookgreen Gardens.

To win the challenge, fans must solve riddles and find the physical idol in their state to get the chance at an invitation to attend the live finale of “Survivor 50” on May 20 in Los Angeles.

Prior to the beginning of the challenge, competitors in South Carolina were given the following clue to point them to the location of the hidden immunity idol:

“Where art and nature share the land, by ocean’s breath and sculptor’s hand. A garden grand, where live oaks grow, step inside and let wonder flow.”

There was also an intentionally blurred picture included in the clue, which seems to show Live Oak Allée, one of the featured locations within Brookgreen Gardens.

The search began at 10 a.m. on Thursday and will end at 4 p.m. The new season of “Survivor” is set to premiere Feb. 25 on WBTW/CBS.

Jordan White is a Digital Producer at News13. She joined the News13 team in August 2024. Jordan, a Myrtle Beach native, graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet and is a graduate of Coker University. Follow Jordan on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here.

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - The Horry County Council made a decision that ends months of controversy over a proposed psychiatric hospital that neighbors have opposed since last fall.

Horry County Council voted 8-4 Tuesday night to approve the Asha Vista Behavioral Institute, allowing the facility to renovate and repurpose a former assisted living facility at the front of the Oak Arbor neighborhood.

The Horry County Zoning Board of Appeals originally denied the proposal in September, but the hospital owners appealed, leading to a settlement agreement with the board.

The agreement requires Asha Vista to implement safety measures beyond the original proposal, including ensuring a security guard is on site at all times, 24/7 video surveillance, and building a seven-foot perimeter wall.

During public comment, residents continued to express concerns about the facility.

“You’re setting a precedent by allowing them to bully you into changing a zone, so be careful how you vote, be careful how you treat the community of Horry County, because we’re all watching,” one resident said.

Dr. Victoria Calder, an Oak Arbor resident and retired psychologist, told council the facility doesn’t create a proper healing environment, and compared it to a prison.

“The building specifics that were shared appear to create a prison-like institutional atmosphere rather than a place to heal and find hope,” Calder said.

Asha Vista officials threatened to sue the county for violating federal disability laws if they denied the facility again.

“Zoning rules and decisions that impose more restrictions on mental healthcare facilities than on other types of healthcare facilities violate the ADA,” said Travis Dayhuff, Asha Vista attorney. “Asha Vista would much rather spend 2026 establishing the hospital rather than litigating the case.”

Council member Jenna Dukes became emotional when discussing her reason for voting yes.

“I lost a family member this year because we didn’t have a facility like this,” Dukes said. “I know that this is in District 5, and I respect that, and I’m sorry, but there are more issues to this that make it a county-wide issue, and I have to support the rest of the county.”

District 5 Councilman Tyler Servant, one of four who voted against the facility, voiced concern after the approval.

“It’s disappointing to see that this passed tonight and go against the many wishes of Horry County,” Servant said.

The CEO of Asha Vista, Fran Sauvageau, said construction will begin in March, followed by 8 to 10 months of renovation, with the 78-bed mental health facility opening in Murrells Inlet by early 2027.

In a statement following the vote, Asha Vista said the decision “recognizes a simple truth: our community is facing a real and growing mental health care shortage, and families deserve access to safe, hospital-based care close to home.”

The company said it remains “committed to being a responsible healthcare neighbor” and looks forward to “continued dialogue with the community, transparency in our operations, and working alongside local leaders, first responders, and healthcare providers.”

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CONWAY — A psychiatric hospital will be able to open in Murrells Inlet after Horry County Council approved a settlement with the operator on Feb. 3.

The 8-4 vote to approve came after many neighbors criticized the hospital's location, saying they didn't want this type of facility near their homes. But most county leaders ultimately concluded the hospital was needed and the settlement would avoid an uphill court fight.

"We've got to move forward," County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner said, adding that he understood the opposition in that community but “this is a countywide issue.”

Asha Vista Behavioral Institute plans to open a 78-bed inpatient mental healthcare facility in the former Hope Arbor Assisted Living Facility along S.C. Highway 707.

In September, the county’s Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously rejected Asha Vista’s request for a special exception to accommodate the project. The board’s vote followed an outpouring of community opposition.

Asha Vista then filed a lawsuit that accused the county of discriminatory zoning practices that violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

After mediation in December, the county reached a tentative settlement with Asha Vista, but council members wanted to hear from the public before voting on the deal. They held a town hall meeting on Jan. 28, and that event drew both supporters and opponents.

Residents from nearby neighborhoods spoke out against the proposed location, raising concerns about safety, facility security and lower property values. Supporters countered that the hospital would provide much-needed services in a growing county.

The newly approved agreement will require Asha Vista to make about $1 million in facility improvements. These include an on-site security guard, fencing and gates, and a video security system. The agreement also prevents Asha Vista from becoming a drug or alcohol treatment facility.

Before the vote, Tyler Servant, whose district includes the site of the proposed hospital, urged council members to vote no with him because the residents in that area did not want it.

"Just like all development, whether it be residential, commercial or healthcare, it needs to be done in the right way at the right place at the right time," he said.

Councilwoman Jenna Dukes, however, shared that she had lost a family member because that person didn’t have access to a facility like the one Asha Vista plans to build. She said that mental health is an issue that impacts everyone in Horry County.

"I have to support the rest of the county," she said.

Some council members said that if they didn’t approve the settlement they likely would lose in court, wasting public money and losing any concessions in the settlement.

“I understand that your community might want to blow the tax money on defending a lawsuit that we're going to lose,” Gardner said, addressing the critics. “And they're going to be able to do this hospital anyway. ... But the rest of the county should not have to make that sacrifice. It's a big county. This is a step in the right direction."

Council members Bill Howard, Danny Hardee, Al Allen, Mark Causey, Tom Anderson and Mike Masciarelli joined Dukes and Gardner in supporting the settlement. Council members Servant, Cam Crawford, Dennis DiSabato and Gary Loftus opposed it.

After the vote passed, Servant was critical of some of his peers.

“It just goes to show you got to be really careful who you elect in political positions,” Servant told The Post and Courier.

Many of the opponents who attended the meeting were also upset about the outcome. Murrells Inlet resident Anthony Michael Cosentino called the vote disgraceful.

“We are for people getting help,” he said. “But not in our backyard.”

Asha Vista released a statement after the meeting saying the provider is committed to being a good neighbor.

“This decision recognizes a simple truth: our community is facing a real and growing mental health care shortage, and families deserve access to safe, hospital-based care close to home,” the statement read.

MURRELLS INLET, SC (WMBF) - Developers of a proposed 78-bed behavioral health facility in Murrells Inlet continue working on a settlement agreement.

The Horry County Board of Zoning denied their initial proposal in September.

Asha Vista developers appealed the denial in October and have been negotiating terms that would allow them to renovate and repurpose a former assisted living facility in a Murrells Inlet residential community, despite opposition from nearby residents.

The newly formed settlement agreement would require Asha Vista to improve security, staffing, and landscaping at the facility.

Proposed changes include the installation of new perimeter walls, fencing, and gates.

The agreement also ensures that at least one security guard will be on the grounds at all times, along with 24/7 video surveillance and a new infrared motion-detection system to monitor patients with artificial intelligence assistance.

Officials with Asha Vista said the facility will relieve emergency room strain and add 160 jobs to the community, and emphasized that the facility will not be a drug rehabilitation center.

“We will not be a clinic where folks recovering from drug addictions come and go for daily doses of medication,” one official said.

Addressing concerns about patients wandering near homes in the Oak Arbor neighborhood, CEO Francis Sauvageau said a community liaison would be hired upon opening.

A new transportation protocol would provide all patients with a ride home after being discharged.

Emily Dawson, a Socastee resident who supports the proposal, said others may not understand the benefits of such a facility.

“I don’t think they’ve had real experiences with their loved ones where they are able to say wow this could really help our community versus hurt it in anyway,” Dawson said.

However, those opposed have concerns about children’s safety, traffic, and decreasing property values.

Many Oak Arbor residents said the facility is a good idea, but not in their neighborhood.

HOA President Debbie Benenati said Asha Vista found the property for a low price and believes that’s why they refuse to look elsewhere.

Sauvageau said it’s the only option.

“They’re getting it for dirt cheap because it’s been on the market for almost two years, the seller wants to get rid of it, it’s perfect,” Benenati said.

The Horry County Board of Zoning is set to vote on the facility again on Tuesday, February 3rd.

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